Work of the Sisters during the epidemic of influenza, October, 1918

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Work of the Sisters During the
Epidemic of Influenza
October, 1918

REPRINT

FROM

RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC
HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Vol. XXX. No8. 1. 2, 3— March. Jume, September. 1919

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Work of the Sisters During the
Epidemic of Influenza
October, 1918

GATHERED AND ARRANGED FROM
REPORTS OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE SISTERS AND
CONTRIBUTED BY REQUEST OF THE COMPILER
F. E. T.

PHILADELPHIA
I919

v/c

WORK OF THE SISTERS DURING THE EPIDEMIC OF
INFLUENZA, OCTOBER, 1918.

GATHERED AND ARRANGED FROM REPORTS OF PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES OF THE SISTERS AND CONTRIBUTED
BY REQUEST OF THE COMPILER.

It will be observed that not all the parishes in Philadelphia are repre-
sented in this paper. This is due to the fact that no report was
made of activities in the parishes omitted. The aim of the
compiler has been, not to advertise parishes or the work of the
clergy, but to gather facts, to record the experiences and im-
pressions of the Sisters, and incidentally to record their personal
observations of the symptoms of the disease and conditions exist-
ing during the epidemic in private homes and hospitals.

Facts unrecorded are quickly lost in the new interests of
changing time. Incidents of personal experience, even the
most touching and pathetic, pass away generally with the
memory of those immediately concerned. We have little
left now, beyond mere material statistics, and vague im-
pressions drawn from " paper accounts " of the epidemic
of cholera which visited Philadelphia in 1832.^ We know
probably as much of the "Black Death" of 1348 in Europe
or of the " Sweating Sickness " of 1529 in England as we
do of the " Yellow Fever " which raged in our cities of the
South, and threatened the North, in 1849 and again in 1854.

It was this thought of gathering information for the
future that first suggested the appeal of the compiler to the

1 Dr. Krusen is reported in the Press, Nov. 20, 1918, as saying:
" From September 20, when it first manifested itself, until it began to
subside Nov. 8, 12687 persons died (of influenza?) in Philadelphia."
The number of cases of those who recovered will probably never be
accurately known. Physicians and nuises were overworked, and a full
record and report of all cases was practically impossible.

2 American Catholic Historical Society

Sisterhoods of the diocese, asking them to co-operate in
this work. The second motive was to assemble facts while
they are still a living memory, facts that will show what
our Sisterhoods are, what their place is in the divine plan
of Christian society, facts which show what the qualities
are of their practical love for brother men, as it is exercised
daily in the parish school, in the academy, in the hospital,
in the asylum, training our children to a Christian standard
of life, bearing the burden of the weak and helpless, caring
for the wrecks of the human family in moral and physical
life.

It has been no part of the plan of the compiler, who has
gathered these details of information, to bring the Sisters
into the limelight of public notice. Self -advertising is alien
to the spirit and the life-long training of these women of
Christian refinement, who have consecrated their lives to
the work of counteracting that insanity of sin which is too
painfully manifest in modern forms of " feminism ".

At a meeting of the superiors and representatives of the
uncloistered Sisterhoods of the diocese held October 8,
19 1 8, His Grace the Most Rev. Archbishop gave his hearty
approval and encouragement to volunteer services of the
Sisters in local communities and mission houses, in order
thus to relieve suffering, and control conditions which were
baffling the best efforts of the medical profession and city
authorities in private homes, in general and emergency hos-
pitals and public institutions. What some of these condi-
tions were, what the suffering, not of the poor only, but of
people of means, who ordinarily command the comforts of
life, will appear from accounts given below.

These accounts were furnished by request, and the com-
piler's aim has been to leave them substantially unchanged
as valued records of personal experience and impressions
which will hardly recur in a lifetime.

For purposes of convenience, and in order to present a

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InUuenza 3

clearer view of a great mass of facts, it has been thought
well, where the membership of the Sisterhood is very large,
as the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart and St. Joseph, to
class the materials gathered under two general heads — first
the work of the Sisters in hospitals and public institutions;
second, their work in private homes/ The former has re-
ceived some notice in the public prints, reporting the efforts
of organized charity and relief during the epidemic. The
latter is a fi£ld of experience little known, to most readers
unknown, but to the heart of the Christian most precious.
In arranging the work of the several Sisterhoods the com-
piler has followed the alphabetical order, excluding all
thought of preference or partiality.

SISTERS OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT,

The Sisters chosen for nursing and relief work went from
the Mother House, Comwells Heights, to the two city mis-
sions, 836 N. Broad St., and Queen Lane, Germantown.
The Sisters who joined the Community in Germantown
were sent out for private nursing. Those who went to
Broad Street were given the privilege of caring for the
poor afflicted in the Municipal Hospital. The Sister teach-
ers at St. Peter Qaver's School helped to turn the first
floor of the school into an Emergency Hospital, and gave
their services there. Four class rooms were turned into
wards containing ten beds each. The cloak rooms were
used as linen and supply rooms ; and the Sisters' room, as a
diet kitchen and drug room.

The experience of the Sisters at the Municipal Hospital,

1 Since it has been found necessary to divide this narrative for two
successive numbers of the Records it has been judged' expedient to
separate the ivio general heads of work of the Sisters of the Immaculate
Heart and of St. Joseph, giving their Hospital and Emergency work in
this number, reserving their relief work in private homes for our
next issue.

4 American Catholic Historical Society

as told in their report to the compiler, is interesting and
pathetic. It reveals the heart and spirit of their work.
Only the main points can be given of a full and really fasci-
nating account.

It was an impressive sight," writes the Sister, " to see
at night a white-robed figure in the dimness of the light
moving among the sick, the suffering and the dying. Many
an eager ' Sister, I want some water,' ' Sister, milk,' * Sis-
ter, ice ' was heard. In spite of the fact that a nurse was
present, the love of their own was manifest. Many a soul
nearing God's judgment would awaken and say, ' Sister,
where am I?', then, to the answer, ' In the Municipal Hos-
pital ' But how can I be? The Sisters are here.' " Heart-
broken relatives found consolation in seeing a Catholic
•Sister at the bedside of their beloved ones sick or dying.

The first case described is that of a young girl sixteen
years old. Opposite her bed lay her dying mother and
sister; beside her lay her three little nieces, ranging from
one to five years. They had just lost their father through
the dread disease, and were about to lose their mother, their
grandmother and aunt. This young girl soon showed that
she also was to be called away. On the night of her agony
she clutched the Sister's hand with the grip of death. Her
delirium is described — pathetic yet consoling. In her
brighter intervals she would imagine that she saw angels
over her bed, and in moments of peace she would beg the
Sister to teach her the " Hail, Mary " in Latin, " for in
Heaven we must pray in Latin as all do." She died in
great peace.

In Germantown the Sisters worked among the colored
people, the Italians, the others of God's poor. In one poor
home they found a mother and five children (colored) hud-
dled together in two rooms. The father, weakened by the
disease, met them at the door with a greeting of welcome,
and the wise remark, as the Sisters now recall with amuse-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 5

ment, " Sisters, I've not seen such a scowrge since Moses
drove the IsraeHtes out of Egypt." In this house there was
no bedclothing, no fire, no food, no Hnens; as for dishes,
there was a glass tumbler containing medicine prescribed
by a doctor. All the patients were to take the medicine from
this glass. When the Sisters looked for the glass they
found it, on a chair, full of dead and drowning flies. There
was nothing to do but go out and 'phone to the convent for
home remedies, linens, food and fuel. But, when the fuel
came, it was found to be impossible to start a fire in the
stove, out of repair. The Sisters then begged hot water
from neighbors to wash the patients and clean the house.
They nursed these poor people back to health, and left them
comfortable and clean.

The Sisters in the Emergency in St. Peter Claver's School
had some very interesting experiences. Three Sisters were
on duty here from eight a. m. to eight p. m., and two nurses
for the day shift and two for the night. Forty-eight
patients were cared for in this hospital. They were white,
yellow, brown and black folk. And, together with the
plain American from anywhere on the map of the forty-
eight stars, were representatives of most of the nations of
Europe, and others from Asia and the West Indies.

One poor English woman deserves notice. She was
earning her living by scrubbing at one of the large hotels.
She had been sick a week, and having no home, and no
relatives, walked to Blockley to beg admittance, only to
find there was no room. She then tried several other places
before coming to St. Peter Claver's. Her remark, when
she was finally put to bed and made comfortable, is char-
acteristic of perseverance : " I knew God and His Blessed
Mother would not forsake me ".

One afternoon a Chinaman came begging admission. He
was very sick, and coughing up much blood. He could
speak only a few words of English. But he knew the worth

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of a dollar. He had three dollars with him, and in his
extreme weakness, coughing up blood and gasping for
breath, he kept a tight hold on the " thee dolla ". Early
next morning, before the Sisters came on duty, he had a
severe hemorrhage and died. The Sisters were keenly dis-
appointed at the loss of the quiet, gentle sufferer, whom
they could not prepare for baptism.

The Sisters were more fortunate in another case, where
they succeeded in teaching a little colored girl of fourteen,
who was deaf, enough of the truth of Faith to have her
baptized. The next morning they found that she had died.

" We found one of the patients," the Sisters write, " a
little Jewess, desperately ill in the street-car, one morning
on our way down. She was such an object of pity — alone,
sick, in a strange land — we took her with us to the Emer-
gency. She was so grateful when told she could remain
until she recovered, but added shyly, " I am not a Chris-
tian. I am a Jew. Will it make any difference?" Again
and again she expressed to the patient in the next bed her
grateful appreciation of the Sisters' kindness to her; for
she was " not a Christian ".

There was a little Ukrainian woman who never tired tell-
ing the Sisters of her " chilluns " — there was " Peter ",
who saved all his candy money to buy W. S. S., and
" Rosie ", who would soon go to school, and " Johnnie ",
only two years old, and " Mary ", the dear little baby —
" such nice chilluns ". One little girl had been picked up
on the street by the police and brought to the Emergency.
Though she probably owes her life to this fact, even after
she was reconciled to remain and get well, she persisted in
her indignation against that " fresh policeman ", and, if
she meets him on the street, she'll " punch his nose ".

One poor colored man imagined he was in jail, and
though guilty, insisted on his innocence — " Dem police jes
grab a fella, an slap him in here to make a dolla." Another

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 7

colored man in his delirium imagined Sister to be his
mother, and clamored unceasingly for a monstrous bill-of-
fare. And a woman with a temperature of 104 wanted
cabbage in her soup. " I does like cabbage, I sure does."

Another man of color always wanted everything that any
other patient had; so when he saw the third man in his
ward anointed, he too wanted his minister. The Sisters
'phoned for a Baptist preacher. After a time the preacher
appeared armed with a big Bible. He seated himself at a
safe distance, and read long and loud from one of the
Epistles of St. Paul. Then he rose and said, " Be good
and pray while you are sick ", and went away. The Sister
remarks : " He meant well, and did his duty bravely, as he
saw it. But to all who were not too ill to take notice, there
must have been a striking contrast between this spiritual
comfort and the Last Sacraments and tender ministrations
of Mother Church."

SISTERS OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS.

These Sisters have the regular charge of St. Agnes' and
St. Mary's Hospitals in Philadelphia and St. Joseph's Hos-
pital in Reading, and twenty-two schools in the diocese.

During the epidemic there were five hundred and thirty-
two influenza patients admitted to St. Agnes' Hospital,
four hundred and sixty cases to St. Mary's and three hun-
dred and three to St. Joseph's Hospital, Reading. These
hospitals, besides taking care of large numbers of influenza
cases, sent several Sisters (registered nurses) to take charge
in Emergency Hospitals in Philadelphia, Chester, Pa., Ed-
dington. Pa., and New Castle, Del.

Registered nurse Sisters :

Two Sister nurses were sent to take charge in the
Medico-Chirurgical Emergency Hospital, Philadel-
phia, Oct. 10 to Oct. 26.

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Two Sister nurses were sent to the Municipal, Phila-
delphia, Oct. 1 1 to Oct. 28.

One Sister nurse was sent to take charge of an Emer-
gency Hospital, New Castle, Del., Oct. 14 to Oct. 26.

Two Sister nurses were sent to Eddington, Pa., Oct.
20 to Nov. 10.

Two Sister nurses were sent to take charge in Glen
Riddle Emergency Hospital, Oct. 9 to Oct. 28.

One Sister nurse was sent to Chester Hospital, Oct. 10
to Oct. 25.

Besides these trained nurse Sisters, teaching Sisters and
others were sent for relief work as follows :
Nine Sisters at St. Agnes' Hospital, Phila., Pa.
Seven Sisters at St. Mary's Hospital, Phila., Pa.
Thirteen Sisters at Municipal Hospital, Phila., Pa.
Twenty-five Sisters at Old Medico-Chi Emergency,

Phila., Pa.
Two Sisters at Pottstown, Pa.
Twelve Sisters at Chester Emergency.
Eleven Sisters at New Castle, Pa., Emergency.
Fourteen Sisters at Glen Riddle, Pa., Emergency.
Three Sisters at Ashland, Pa.
Nine Sisters at Eddington, Pa.
Four Sisters at Mahanoy City, Pa.
Two Sisters at Minersville, Pa.

During the epidemic one hundred and thirty-one Sisters
of this Community assisted in relief work. Eighty-one
teaching Sisters helped in hospitals. Fifty-seven teaching
Sisters nursed the sick in private homes. There are re-
corded eight hundred and thirty-seven visits of the Sisters
to private homes and three hundred and ninety-three pa-
tients nursed by the Sisters in private families.

Many remarkable conversions came under the notice of
the Sisters ; also the return of Catholics who had neglected

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 9

the practice of their religion. The hand of affliction, to-
gether with a few words of encouragement from a Sister
nurse, the examples of Christian charity and self-sacrifice
before their eyes day and night, helped to renew the spirit
of religion, and brought back to Mother Church many of
her erring children. Among the cases reported by the Sis-
ters was one woman who had been away from the Sacra-
ments sixteen years. She died a happy death. Another
man had not received the Sacraments for twenty years.
Still another had been disloyal to the Faith and the Church
for twelve years. The case of a woman is reported who
had led a very immoral life. She made a good confession,
and died consoled with the Sacraments of Holy Church.
One man made his first Holy Communion on his death-bed.
The Sisters have reported twenty-two of these wonderful
conversions and returns to the Sacraments. They report
also one adult man baptized; ten babies, who were dying,
baptized — four conversions to our holy Faith.

The services of the Sisters helped to counteract much
unreasonable prejudice which came under their personal ob-
servation. One man, a Protestant, whose wife and daugh-
ter were nursed back to health by the Sisters, said to them
that he would never again read or believe what he had been
accustomed to read and devour in the Menace and other
publications which live and thrive on raking muck.

Letters of appreciation and gratitude were received from
town authorities, board-of-health officials, physicians in
charge of emergency hospitals, and many private indi-
viduals.

SISTERS OF THE HOLY CHILD.

St. Edward's.
Eight Sisters from this Convent were engaged in nurs-
ing and caring for the sick in private homes. The calls for
help usually come from the priests of the parish, several

lo American Catholic Historical Society

from physicians, both Catholic and Protestant, and some
from the neighbors who spoke in behalf of others in need.
Sometimes a priest or doctor stopped the Sisters in the
streets, which were almost deserted during the first two
weeks of October, and requested them to hasten to a par-
ticular place where help was sorely needed. Two or three
calls came from the health authorities over the telephone.

The Sisters tried to be helpful in any way and every way
suggested by conditions and the needs of the afflicted sick
and their families. They cared for the sick, prepared them
for the Last Sacraments, washed and fed the children,
cleaned the rooms and did the general work of the house
wherever it was necessary.

" The sights," writes one Sister, " were often very dread-
ful when we look back now. In one very poor little home
there were six victims — father, mother, and four children —
in beds in two small rooms. In one of these a dead child
had lain for three days. It was impossible to get the ser-
vices of an undertaker."

In another home the mother was stricken with the influ-
enza, and the father crippled with a scalded foot, while
eight little ones, ranging from eleven years down to a very
young baby, were utterly neglected. There was nothing in
the house in the way of food, hardly a dish to eat from, no
sheets on the beds, and no doctor had called for a week.
The Sisters returned to the Convent for bed-linens, soups,
medicines, and other things absolutely necessary. The con-
ditions of the place cannot be described. But the Sisters
persevered, every day facing and overcoming new difficul-
ties. The children were at length able to get up, the mother
was taken to an Emergency Hospital where she died after
a few days, and the three youngest babies were sent to a
home. It was pathetic to see how hard the other children
tried to manage for the next five or six days, while waiting
for a relative to come to care for them. The eldest girl

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 1 1

watched for the coming of the Sisters every morning to
ask their advice, tell them her griefs and troubles, and
proudly show what she and the others had done to keep
house.

The Sisters saw many families deprived of their nearest
and dearest relatives within a few days, and many of the
dead lying unburied for more than a week. There were,
however, some bright spots in this dark picture. An old
Jewish lady, whose daughter-in-law died leaving three little
ones, was so pleased with the Sisters' visit, and care, that
she promised to have her grandchildren brought up as
Catholics, and she said she would keep her word. She
graciously accepted the medals of Our Blessed Mother
which they offered her.

An old lady asked the Sisters to comb her tangled hair,
and as the locks were heavy and long, many hours were
spent in this tedious work: The dear old lady invited the
Sister to come again in the afternoon to finish the task.

In nearly every case the people expressed their apprecia-
tion and gratitude for the services of the nuns. They
seemed to look upon the garb of the Sisters, the emblem of
religion and charity, as an earnest of God's blessing in
hours and days of trial.

St. Leonard's Academy.
The first call for help was from the Philadelphia Gen-
eral Hospital, Blockley. There is a point of importance to
be noted here, in the report of the Sisters to the Compiler.
It is stated incidentally that " two-thirds of the nursing
force were prostrate by the disease with none to replace
them in the wards ". Six Sisters responded to this first
call. The time of the Sisters' services in Blockley was
October 7 to October 23. Telling of the first day's experi-
ence, the Sister writes : " Some of the poor sick had had
no attention for eighteen hours, and some had not been

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bathed for over a week." The poor, brave, overworked
nurses could not possibly reach the numbers which were
constantly growing by the admission of new cases.

There were two nurses only for thirty-five to forty help-
less patients in each ward. Many of the sick, moreover,
were violently delirious. " It is not a wonder," says the
Sister, "that so many [nurses] fell under the burden."
The Sisters were appointed for work in the wards for
women and children, and the tribute which the Sisters pay
to the patient endurance of these, usually the poorest of
Grod's poor, is again deserving of note. They were all
touchingly grateful for the smallest service given." It was
here, in Blockley, that one of the Sisters, Mother Marie
Aloysius, contracted the disease and died. After working
with the sick all day Sunday, October 13, she retired Sun-
day evening " not feeling well ". The next day she re-
ceived the Last Sacraments, and the following day, Tues-
day, October 15, she was called to her reward. A notice
of her life and death will be found at the end of this
account.

The Chief Physician and Head Nurse at Blockley have
written personally to express appreciation and thanks for
the efficient work and help of the Sisters in " the time of
their greatest need ". Interns, nurses and patients also
were very sincere in their expressions of gratitude for the
Sisters' services, and for the favored experience of seeing
and proving practically the devotedness of their life and
work.

October 8th a call came to the Convent, through the in-
termedium of our Most Reverend Archbishop, for help at
the Biddle Home for Imbecile Children. In response, three
Sisters were sent from St. Leonard's. One of these was
the very efficient Sister-cook of the Community, who took
the place of the absent chef at the institution until another
could be found. The two other Sisters gave their attention
and care to the poor afflicted children.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 13

There were many calls for the Sisters' services in private
homes. Telling their experience in this line of district
nursing ", the Sisters describe one home in which a young
mother lay dead, her two little ones crying bitterly in the
next room, while the aged parents, heartbroken and quite
in despair, were trying to nurse three other daughters, all
very ill. The Sisters took charge of the house and nursing,
and remained until all were on the way to recovery.

Assumption.

The Sisters here were called October 7 to care for one
of the assistant priests in the Rectory, the Rev. Jeremiah
Mahon. His case was serious from the beginning. The
other two assistants, the cook and all the help in the house
were also ill, so that the Sisters had to take full charge in
the Rectory. Father Mahon died October 19. His rela-
tives, in token of the Sisters' kind services, gave the dead
priest's chalice for use in the Convent Chapel.

Two of the Sisters were called to care for one of the
priests ill at the Church of Our Lady of the Blessed Sac-
rament. Two other Sisters were sent in the early days of
the epidemic to relieve the overworked Sisters and care for
the poor little charges in the Home for Crippled Children.
The Sisters who were left free (there are thirteen in the
Community) visited the sick and afflicted in the parish.
One of these cases was a lone Greek girl, to whom they
went at the Archbishop's request. Her parents could not
come to her. This girl was very ill, but recovered, and has
since shown herself very grateful.

One day an unknown woman accosted two Sisters on the
street, and begged them to go to a house where, she said,
all were ill but the father. The Sisters went to the place
and found all, mother and children, in an improvised bed
in the kitchen. This was explained by the fact that the
sister-in-law had come to take care of them. She had sick-

14 American Catholic Historical Society

ened and died, while the father was at his work. Her body-
was lying upstairs. It was then two days since her death,
and several more days passed before the united efforts of
the Sisters and the father of the family succeeded in having
the body removed. " This poor family," the Sisters say,
" had no knowledge of any religion." Poor indeed.

Sharon Hill.
In the Convent and Academy many were ill. Some had
the influenza in a light form only, others were very sick.
The Last Sacraments were given to three, and one young
Sister was at the very door of death. She recovered. The
parish school was closed October 7, at lo a. m., thus leaving
four more Sisters free for relief work. That same day
came by telephone an urgent call for help from Lamokin,
below Chester. The case was one of a young mother of
two beautiful children, and one yet unborn. She had double
pneumonia following an attack of influenza. Two Sisters
went to this home in Lamokin that same afternoon, one to
care for the patient, the other to take charge of household
duties. The Sisters remained until a nurse was procured
for the sufferer and relatives came to take care of the house,
when they were summoned away to more urgent cases.
This poor mother died after two weeks of unconsciousness
and delirium. In the meantime another call came from
Clifton Heights, where a mother of three children had had
a relapse after two weeks of illness. The mother and sister
of this woman were worn out with watching, and they
begged for assistance. Two Sisters went at once to this
home, but the patient died after two days. The Sisters
were with her at the end as she requested. Her death was
peaceful.

The Sisters were called also to help in an Emergency-
Hospital established in a garage at Drexel Hill. Every
day for two weeks two of the Sisters served the sick in this

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 15

garage, where all conditions, colors, creeds and nationalities
were brought to the same level. What seems to have im-
pressed the Sisters most painfully was the absence of all
thought of God and religion in many cases, and, in some,
what appeared to be a godless end.

The Sisters were also called by representatives of the
Red Cross (non-Catholic) to serve in the Emergency Hos-
pital at Ridley Park, established in a gymnasium. They
were there a short time only when frequent and urgent calls
for aid in the immediate neighborhood claimed their atten-
tion and charity nearer home. They were called to visit
private families. Catholics and non-Catholics, in Tolcroft,
Glenolden, Clifton Heights, and Sharon Hill. In these
homes they not only cared for the sick and afflicted, they
did the work of the house. They attended to the cooking,
cleaning rooms, washing, feeding, clothing and providing
for children and babies, taking the place of nurse, mother
or servant as the needs required. Not Catholics only, but
non-Catholics and some unreasonably prejudiced against the
Faith came begging for the Sisters' aid. What was seen
and observed by the people in this unselfish devotion to re-
lieve human suffering and need seems to have opened the
minds of some, the Sister says, and changed the attitude of
many hitherto hostile to our Faith and religion.

SISTERS OF THE IMMACULATE HEART.

A Summary Report of Volunteer Services of the Sisters, Servants
of the Immaculate Heart, in Emergency and General
Hospitals, etc.

October Ninth. — Thirty Sisters were selected from ten
times that number of volunteers, for immediate duty at
Emergency Hospital No. i, at Holmesburg, Pa. These
Sisters served in shifts of twelve hours, 7 a. m. to 7 p. m.
and 7 p. m. to 7 a. m. Those serving here were from the
missions at St. Veronica's, Holy Name, St. Paul's, St.

1 6 American Catholic Historical Society

Dominic's, The Incarnation, Immaculate Conception, Ger-
mantown, St. Monica's, and St, Gabriel's.

Six volunteers were selected for the Philadelphia Hos-
pital, Blockley, serving during the day only, 9 a. m. to 7
p. m. This number was afterwards increased to nine Sis-
ters, day service only. These Sisters were from the mis-
sion at St. Agatha's, Philadelphia, Pa.

Ten Sisters were chosen from those volunteering in dif-
ferent missions, to go to Pottsville, where the Sisters of
St. Joseph required assistance in three different hospitals
which they were serving — the Pottsville General Hospital,
the Pottsville Armory Emergency and the Miliken Home.
The number of Sisters serving here was later increased to
fourteen, besides the Sisters of St. Joseph, from St. Pat-
rick's, Pottsville, and St. Mary's, St. Clair, Pa. All these
Sisters were lodged at St. Patrick's Convent, Pottsville.
The hours of service were 7 a. m. to 7 p. m. and 7 p. m. to
7 a. m. The Sisters sent to Pottsville were from the mis-
sions at Most Blessed Sacrament, Phila., St. Anthony's,
Phila., and St. Clement's, Paschalville, Phila. About five
hundred and fifty patients were treated here during three
weeks; most of them were miners from the surrounding
villages.

October Tenth. — Eight Sisters from the Gesu Convent
offered their services at St. Joseph's Hospital, to replace the
nurses who have died there. Six have been accepted for
duty from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. each day.

The services of ten Sisters, including one trained nurse
from the Catholic Home Bureau, 1702 Summer Street, and
nine from the Convent at St. Gabriel's, have been accepted
at Mater Misericordiae Hospital, West Philadelphia.

Later, when many sick children, and the children of sick
parents, were brought to the Home Bureau, these Sisters
from the Home Bureau were recalled, and themselves re-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 17

quired the aid of six outside Sisters at the Bureau. See the
item at the end of this summary.

Six Sisters from the Convents at ColHngdale and Lans-
downe, Pa., have been attending those stricken with the
influenza at a Gypsey Camp, Roumanian Village, Delaware
Co., Pa. More sincere evidence of appreciation has been
shown by these neglected sufferers than by many in far
better circumstances. The Emergency Hospital here was
established under a tent.

October Eleventh. — An urgent call was received through
Father Nash, of the Epiphany, for Sisters to act as nurses
in the Emergency Hospital opened at Broad and Snyder
Avenue by the " South Philadelphia Business Men ".
Twenty Sisters were sent to this Emergency from the Mis-
sions at St. Monica's, St. Thomas's, and the Community
House (High School Sisters). These Sisters remained on
duty in three shifts : midnight to 8 a. m., 8 a. m. to 4 p. m.,
4 p. m. to midnight.

Approximately one hundred cases were treated here, the
afflicted being mainly Russian Jews.

Dr. Clemens was chief of staff, and he, together with
Samuel Buck, Esq., organizer of this special relief, warmly
commended the work of the Sisters. An engraved certifi-
cate of appreciation and gratitude was sent by the South
Philadelphia Emergency Relief Committee to each Sister.

October Twelfth. — In answer to an appeal from the
Women's Hospital, 40th and Parrish Sts., two Sisters were
sent there from St. Agatha's for night duty. Four different
Sisters from St Agatha's Convent have served here, on
night duty only.

October Thirteenth. — An urgent appeal was received
from the Phoenixville Hospital for Sisters to assist the
nurses there. Ten Sisters served there, on both day and

1 8 American Catholic Historical Society

night duty, 7 a. m. to 7 p. m. and 7 p. m. to 7 a. m. They
came from the Convents at St. Paul's and Sacred Heart,
Phila., Pa., and from St. Mary's, Phoenixville, Pa.

An appHcation was received from the " Independent Re-
publican Club " of South Philadelphia for Sisters to pre-
pare an Emergency Hospital, No. 8 in their rooms at 1726
South Broad St., Broad and Morris.

The Sisters prepared everything here for the reception of
the sick poor of the district, and the hospital was formally
opened on October fifteenth. These Sisters were from the
Missions at St. Thomas's, St. Gabriel's, and St. Anthony's,
Philadelphia. Eighteen Sisters in all served, in shifts from
8 a. m. to 8 p. m. and from 8 p. m. to 8 a. m. Approxi-
mately sixty patients were treated. Letters of commenda-
tion and gratitude were received from the authorities in
charge of the hospital.

October Fourteenth. — Four Professed Sisters at the
Mother-House, West Chester, assisted by the Novices, pre-
pared an Emergency Hospital in the building formerly
occupied by the boys of St. Aloysius' Academy, on the
grounds, for the reception of those members of the Com-
munity and Novitiate at Villa Maria who had been afflicted
with the disease.

Six Professed Sisters and forty members of the Novi-
tiate were treated here. One postulant, Miss Nora Coggar,
died (Oct. 17) of pneumonia, following upon influenza,
which she had contracted while attending the funeral of her
brother, who also died of the disease.

There was no case of influenza in the Boy's School, St.
Aloysius' Academy, West Chester. All the buildings here,
including the Convent, the Novitiate and the little boys*
Academy were under strict quarantine from Thursday, Oct.
3rd, until Sunday, November loth.

October Seventeenth. — In response to a very urgent ap-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 19

peal, two Sisters from St. Veronica's, Phila., two from St.
Philomena's, Lansdowne, Pa., and two from Immaculate
Heart, Chester, Pa., went to Villa Maria Academy, Immac-
ulata, Pa., to assist the Sisters of the Academy who were
caring for pupils in the Academy and sick Sisters there.

These Sisters, twelve in all, cared for ten sick Sisters, six
postulants who had been sent over from West Chester to
help at Immaculata and had been taken ill there, and eighty-
five Academy pupils during four weeks. All at Immaculata
had the disease in a light form with two exceptions, and in
only one case were there even the slightest symptoms of
pneumonia. The school was under strict quarantine from
October 3rd until Sunday, November 1 7th.

The Sisters stationed at our Convent of the Blessed Vir-
gin Mary, Darby, Pa., prepared and served dinner every
day during five weeks for the students of St. Charles' Semi-
nary, Overbrook, who were engaged in digging graves at
Holy Cross Cemetery.

Twelve Sisters from Immaculate Conception Convent,
Germantown, cared for the students at the Lazarist Semi-
nary who were afflicted with influenza there.

Catholic Home Bureau, 1702 Summer Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

During the epidemic about one hundred and twenty-two
children were received at the Bureau, nearly all suffering
from influenza in greater or less degree. These children
were placed at the Bureau temporarily during the illness of
one or both parents at home.

Twenty-seven of these were infants from one week to
six months old. These remained for about one month at
the Bureau. Six children died during the epidemic, all of
whom had contracted the disease before their admission to
the Home.

Four Sisters in charge of the children were assisted by
two Sisters from the Annunciation, two from Sacred Heart

20 American Catholic Historical Society

and two from Holy Name, alternately, during several
weeks. One of the Sisters (a trained nurse) superintended
the work.

Summary.

Children admitted. .122. .ranging from i week to 15 years

(27 under 6 months).

Deaths ........ .1. ., 6

Nurses .1. .,. 4. .stationed regularly at the Home

Bureau.

and 6..rehef helpers serving alternately
in pairs.

Children dismissed
on or before No-
vember 9 76

In Philadelphia the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart
have twenty-six convents or mission houses. From these
convents one hundred and twenty-seven Sisters were serv-
ing in general and emergency hospitals; one hundred and
sixty-two caring for the sick in private homes. There were
one hundred and eleven Sisters sick with influenza, and
seven died in the Philadelphia convents.

Outside Philadelphia are twenty-nine convents, including
the Mother House at West Chester and Villa Maria at Im-
maculata. In these were one hundred and four sick Sisters
(add eighty-five sick pupils to be cared for at Villa Maria
Academy, Immaculata). Forty-four Sisters were nursing
in private homes in the country missions, and sixty-two
served in emergency hospitals.

Relief Work of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart — Emergency
and General Hospitals.

Blockley.

One Sister tells of " district nursing " in St. Agatha's
parish before she was sent to Blockley. Her words reveal
a state of mind which was probably the thought and con-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 21

sciousness of most of these volunteers. " I joined those
who volunteered to nurse," she says, " realizing fully my
incompetency, so that the act seemed to be presumptuous.
But God has supplied what was lacking from total inex-
perience, and truthfully I can say the memories of October,
1 91 8, hold some of the most consoling thoughts of my life.

" On October 10 two companions with myself were sent
to a house in the rear of Haverford Avenue. Bravely we
started ; but no one admitted until later the extreme timid-
ity experienced, not from fear of the disease, but from
coming in contact with strangers in strange homes.

" We found a sick mother with two sick children in the
same bed, and in another bed three more, but all in the
same room. The windows were closed tightly, and we felt
that we could taste the fever. The father, who was just
recovering, and a boy of nine were the only nurses. We
relieved them, and, after bathing the patients, giving the
medicines prescribed and some nourishment, we cleaned
the room and prepared some food for the father. We re-
turned to this same house on Friday and Saturday (Oct.
11-12). About noon on Saturday, October 12, I received
a note from Mother telling me to return at once as some
Sisters were needed elsewhere. I was sent with five others
to the Philadelphia General Hospital, Blockley. . . .

" We were met at the entrance and conducted to that
part of the establishment in which we were to work. That
walk from the entrance to the wards seemed unending.
One of the Sisters whispered to me : ' How shall we ever
get in ?' — meaning the next day. I replied : ' I think we're
getting in beautifully; what worries me is, how shall we
get out?'

" When we reached our destination we found five wards
full of men. We were informed that another Community
had been given charge of the women and children, but the
men had to lie there neglected.

22 American Catholic Historical Society

" Notwithstanding our inexperience, we were given full
charge of these wards, as the two head nurses of this de-
partment were entirely alone. These ladies are Catholics,
and had implicit confidence in the Sisters. They left the
mixing of medicines to us; and this, with the taking of
temperatures and respirations and the feeding of those too
weak to help themselves, comprised our daily tasks. We
had orderlies for all the other ward work.

" There were about twenty-five or thirty men in each
ward and adjoining shack. Most of these were men who
had come to Philadelphia to work in ammunition plants,
and generally they had been living in one rented room.
They were lying there with the dirt of their work still on
their hands and faces. Many of them had not received
attention since their entrance. (The reason of this is, of
course, evident — overcrowded conditions.) Their gratitude
for any attention from us was really touching.

" We had been told that we might expect any kind or
class at Blockley, and this was verified. We had in our
wards Greeks, Italians, Jews, Armenians, Negroes, Poles,
and even East Indians. They were all God's sick children,
and I loved them.

" We were going constantly from nine in the morning
until six in the evening. Then we returned to the Convent,
tired, very tired; but it was sweet to come home. We ate
our supper immediately, then went to Chapel for Benedic-
tion of the Most Blessed Sacrament. After this we retired,
but not until we had told, in a few brief moments of rec-
reation, our little experiences of the day.

" One night just before we left the wards a man, non-
Catholic, died. We prayed with him up to the last; and,
though he seemed unconscious to all else, he still, even with
the death-rattle in his throat, repeated the aspirations we
whispered in his ear. The head nurse, moved by this, gave
him conditional Baptism.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 23

" That night at Benediction I resolved not to let another
man die without making some effort to find out if there was
any Catholicity in him. . . . There was in my ward a man
named Robert, thirty years old, Protestant, according to
the chart. He had told me that his mother had died when
he was five years old, and that his sisters and brothers had
all been separated. . . .

" On the morning following my resolution, to which I
have referred, I was making my rounds as usual, and just
as I was leaving Robert's bed I noticed the chaplain down
the corridor. I recalled my resolution of the night before,
and, turning back, I asked : ' Robert, were you ever a
Catholic ?' Imagine my surprise when he answered, ' Yes,
I was born one' (of Catholic parents). ' Will you see a
priest?' ' Yes.' ... I did not walk, I ran down that cor-
ridor. The chaplain came back with me. Robert received
his first Holy Communion on his death-bed. I never ex-
pect anything this side of heaven to give me the joy which
I experienced that morning. After the priest had gone,
Robert called me and thanked me for getting the priest.
He said : ' You have made me very happy. You certainly
have taken my mother's place today.' His attitude toward
recovering was changed. He died with perfect resignation.

" W e had another young man who had lost his faith.
He seemed devoted to the Sisters, but refused absolutely to
see the priest. He consented, however, to wear a medal of
our Blessed Mother, and at parting he recited the Hail Mary
to please us."

The Sister recommends this young man to the prayers of
those who read this account.

" On October 26 we bade ' Good-bye ' to Blockley. The
regret expressed by our co-laborers and the remaining
patients made the parting rather impressive. However, we
were glad to return to our Convent home with a deeper
knowledge of human nature and the sorrows and miseries
of the life ' of the world '."

24 American Catholic Historical Society

Emergency No. 8 — 1726 S. Broad.

A Sister writes : " Our hours were from 8 p. m. to 8
a. m. The first night on arriving at the hospital we found
six patients in our ward; before morning we had four-
teen, most of them in a dying condition. The sights were
almost too pitiful to describe. . . . The patients began to
come in about one o'clock, three of them in delirium, and
almost unmanageable. ... I had, on an average, twelve
women, six babies and about four men to take care of.
There was not one minute to be called my own, some patient
needing attention all the time. The call ' Sister ' could be
heard every minute during the night. One woman, a Cath-
olic, could be counted a martyr (from her endurance in
suffering) . I undertook to undress her, and the flesh from
her body fell off in my hands. It seems the people at home
had put coal oil on her to ease the pain. She lived four
days in that agony. Never a murmur escaped from her
lips, only a loving look of gratitude when I would ask her
to make the offering of her sufferings to God, to bear her
purgatory here.

" Several nights later in the service I spent carrying a
baby, three months old, on one arm, and one six months
old on the other. When a patient called I had to lay the
babies down at the foot of the bed to attend to the call.
The look of gratitude on the faces of the sick would repay
us for any inconvenience we had to endure. Several of
our Jewish patients told us that the Sisters were the ones
who helped them to get well ; and they assured us that they
would always have a kind feeling for us. We had also the
great pleasure of seeing many persons receive the Sacra-
ments after having been away for long years.

" Through this experience I have learned to appreciate
my vocation to the religious life more than ever before."

A Sister tells of her first day's experience, when "clothed
in a long white gown, falling from the shoulders to the

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 25

shoe-tops (over the habit of blue serge), and a gauze mask,"
the nurse gave her a first lesson in bathing a patient. " I
felt an awful sensation creep over me," she says, " but I
recalled that I had volunteered to help suffering humanity,
and that God will take care of His own. In a few moments
the terrible ordeal was over, and I felt greatly relieved
when I walked out of the ward. . . . The next day the
sight that met my eyes as I entered the hospital I shall
never forget. Glancing to the left I saw the men's ward
crowded. On the right, where the office was, there seemed
to be great excitement. A big colored man, who was de-
lirious, was screaming and grasping at everything within
his reach. Two policemen were holding him down. On
the other side were two figures stretched on cots covered
with white sheets, while on another cot lay a man gasping,
his eyes and mouth wide open. The nurse told us that the
two on the cots were dead, and the other was dying. I was
struck, at first, with a fearful dread, for I never came in
close contact with death but once in my life. But realizing
what must be done, I quickly put on my gown and mask,
and, being assigned to the women's ward, I began my
[second day's] duties. Several women were brought in
who were to be bathed, made comfortable and given nour-
ishment. Then from all sides seemed to come the call,
' Sister '. One wanted a drink ; another was cold, and
needed a blanket, and perhaps a hot-water bag; still an-
other needed an ice-cap. This continued all through the
day — for several days there was no change. It was pitiful
to see the suffering of those afflicted, and to hear the moans
and cries of those who were dying.

" We had about six babies to care for. It was part of
my work to bathe and nourish them. And when the rush
was over, I took a few minutes, now and again, to carry
them and show them to their mothers, if they were there,
for it seemed to comfort them.

26 American Catholic Historical Society

" One little girl, a non-Catholic, who had not been living
a good life, was able to tell our dear Lord that she was
sorry for everything she had done wrong. The priest
baptized her conditionally, and immediately she became
unconscious. She died a few hours later. I helped to
prepare her body for burial.

" The gratitude of all was marked, and that alone (the
evidence of gratefulness) would repay for any little incon-
venience of our work. The Jews especially marveled at
the Sisters helping them, and usually gave them the credit
of * pulling them through '."

One good Sister writes : " I put Sacred Heart badges on
all, whether Catholic or Jew or Protestant, Italian or col-
ored. If the Jew lost his badge, he would give me no
peace till he found it.

" One young colored man was raving in delirium, and
was guarded by two officers. I was sent to take charge of
him while the two officers were off duty. He was strapped
to his iron bed, and the blood was oozing from every part
of his body. His screams were heart-rending. He imag-
ined that he was to be murdered. I asked him to say after
me the little aspirations: 'My Jesus, mercy; Mary, help'.
He became quiet at once, and, after I placed a Sacred Heart
badge on him and a medal of our Blessed Mother, he be-
came perfectly sane, and asked me if any colored people
belonged to the Catholic Church. I gave him a catechism
and a prayer book. His wife came to take him home, and
he told her everything; and soon the wife was as much
pleased with our holy religion as the man.

" One old man called me, after a few days in the hos-
pital, and asked me to write a letter for him, which he dic-
tated. It was addressed to a woman with whom he had
boarded and settled some financial affairs. His life, he said,
had been spent in the depths of sin. I told him that God
would pardon him, if only he would be sorry and make a

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 27

good confession. He told me that he was wiUing, and I
sent to St. Rita's for a priest who could understand. Thus
after long years he came back to God. These poor people
died in great numbers, but comforted by the Sacraments.
I found them always, though taken in off the street, models
of patience, respect, modesty, and a delicacy towards the
Sisters that can be accounted for only as the result or the
reward of charity.

" I feel that the good done by the Sisters, both corporal
and spiritual, will bring blessings on the community."

Emergency Hospital, Opened by the South Phila-
delphia Business Men, Broad and Snyder Avenue.

October 1 1 twenty Sisters of the Immaculate Heart were
detailed to serve in this hospital from the Mission Houses
at St. Monica's, St. Thomas', and the Community House
(High School Sisters), 2018 Green Street. The Sisters
served in three shifts: midnight to 8 a. m., 8 a. m. to 4
p. m., 4 p. m. to midnight. Approximately one hundred
cases of influenza were treated here, the afflicted being
mainly Jews. Doctor Clemens was chief of staff. He,
together with Samuel Buck, Esq., organizer of this special
relief, warmly recommended the work of the Sisters. An
engraved certificate of acknowledgment and gratitude was
given to each one of the Sisters.

A Sister tells of her experience here the first night, en-
livened by the incident of having to watch and control a
delirious colored man who was bent on " catching the
Kaiser ". This " catching " meant to climb out of the
window by way of the steam pipes and radiator. It was
found necessary at last to put William into a straightjacket,
two of the Sisters holding him down while the nurse
wound sheets around him, binding him securely to the cot.
The following night two policemen were secured to keep
guard over William. The experience with the women of

28 American Catholic Historical Society

the previous night probably left brain impressions which
changed the purpose of William, who now no longer
planned to " catch the Kaiser ", but pleaded to see his wife
" Lil ", to whom he seemed very loyally devoted. During
the night one of the Sisters had occasion to pass through
the room where William lay, guarded by the two represen-
tatives of public safety. William, looking up suddenly, as
he caught sight of the Sister, exclaimed, " Is that my Lil ?
Yes, that's her ", holding out his big black arms, " That's
my Lil ". The Sister, whether frightened or dismayed,
quickly disappeared, with no apologies to William or the
guardians of his liberty.

Another Sister tells how an automobile called at the Con-
vent, St. Thomas', every night to take herself and her
companion Sister to the Emergency at Broad and Snyder
Avenue, where they were on duty in the men's ward from
twelve midnight to eight o'clock a. m. She speaks of her
impressions on entering that dimly lighted ward for the
first time, at midnight, where the breath of pestilence could
almost be felt, and every helpless form on its cot seemed
to suggest the thought, " Where you are, I may be ". She
describes the suffering of one young man who had served
our country in France, and had been instructed and bap-
tized in the Hospital. In his extreme pain he would cry
out, " Father in heaven! take me ". He died peacefully.

Another case is described in which the patient would
grab wildly at everything within reach of his bed. " I
whispered the Act of Contrition and ejaculations to him;
but as a continual vapor came from his mouth, I could
not stand there long. The next night the Lord had taken
him — to rest, I hope."

" Some became unconscious and passed away, not know-
ing (apparently) that death was near. Others, who seemed
to be on the way to recovery, we would find the next night,
when we came on duty, had passed to eternity.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 29

" One night I was called to the women's ward where ,1
young mother was breathing her last. She was trying to
say something, but could not speak. Then holding a glass
of milk, she pointed to the baby. In all her pain her one
thought seemed to be that baby would be in want.

" There were also some very amusing incidents. One
patient requested one night that he might be given a mask
(which the nurses and Sisters wore), saying that he did
not want the disease the other fellows had."

Another Sister writes : " Each day brought new pa-
tients. As soon as one recovered or died, his bed was
occupied by another. Sometimes new cases were waiting
in the office until a dead body could be removed " to make
room for a new occupant.

" The doctor instructed us to see that every man re-
ceived the attention of either priest, minister, or rabbi.

" One day I noticed a Catholic name on one of the
charts. I said to the man : ' Did you see the priest ?' He
replied : ' I am not a Catholic '. ' But your name indicates
that you should be.' I was then called away to get a glass
of water for the priest who was giving the Sacraments to
another man. I mentioned the case to the priest, who then
went over to the man and remained about an hour. He
found that he had been baptized and received his first Holy
Communion in France. He had come to this country, it
appears, later enlisted and had served three years in the
now late war. The priest informed me that he had heard
his Confession and given him Holy Communion. He re-
quested me to say some prayers of thanksgiving with him,
as he knew no prayers. A few days later this patient grew
much weaker, and during intense suffering he showed great
patience. He was anointed, and died a very happy death."

Another Sister tells of her first night on duty, thirteen
hours. Later the shifts were shortened and her time of
service was from four p. m. to midnight, when the Sisters

30 American Catholic Historical Society

rode to the Convent from the Hospital in a taxicab.
Incidentally she mentions that her first night's charge was
to take care of eight patients (women), including two
babies, all very sick and requiring constant attention. Of
these eight, all were Hebrews but one Catholic woman.
Of the Jewish rabbi, she says that he visited the wards
daily and distributed newspapers to the convalescents.
" He always bowed very profoundly to us, and showed
great respect."

HOLMESBURG EMERGENCY, No. I.

After Mass and Holy Communion six Sisters start for
Holmesburg from St. Veronica's. " Now to find where
the Hospital is we inquired from the car conductors, who
were most kind to us when they learned that we were to
care for the sick. One gentleman in the car paid our fares,
then said in a loud voice " ( for the benefit of all in the
car), " ' Now, what would Philadelphia do if it were not
for these good women ?'

" After much anxiety we reached Emergency No. i.
There we met a nurse wearing a mask and a long white
robe. She conducted us to the office of the head nurse,
and in two minutes we had our masks and gowns on (worn
over the habit of blue serge), and were ready for work.

" There were over three hundred patients, and only
twelve nurses (this was October ii) to look after them, so
one can imagine the distress, the neglect and the misery of
these poor creatures. Some did not have their faces washed
for days before we came; their bedclothing had not been
changed for a like period of time. The nurses were almost
distracted, they could not attend to the sick, and, indeed,
they gave the Sisters a warm welcome.

" My first day in Ward No. 3, the womens' ward, I shall
never forget. One cannot imagine it — ninety women so
sick and so helpless, moaning, coughing; some were partly

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 31

delirious; others would get out of bed and follow us around
the ward begging us to be allowed to go home. Then, to
try to quiet them. Others were calling for * ice water ',
an ' ice-cap ', a ' hot-water bag a ' priest a ' doctor '.
It is beyond description.

" Several times, during the first four days, we would
stand aside in the corridors and on the stairways to give
place to the men who were carrying out dead bodies. The
first day we saw thirteen bodies carried out to the dead-
house within four hours. The odor from this dead-house
was something dreadful. We could notice it two squares
away. On the second day they dug a trench on the grounds,
and placed the dead bodies in it until the relatives could
have the remains removed.

"About the fourth day everything became more quiet and
we had things in fine working order. Miss Reeder re-
marked one day : ' I am not a Catholic, but it is surprising
to see the change there is in this place since the Sisters
came '.

" The first week we were on duty from 7 a. m. until 7
p. m. Then the night force relieved us. The second week
we arose at 3 : 30 a. m., and were out at the hospital before
five o'clock. We were then on duty until 2 p. m. During
these hours we had never a minute to waste. We began,
as soon as we came on duty, washing faces, combing hair,
making the sick generally comfortable — then they were
ready for breakfast. This meant to prepare ninety trays
to carry them to the beds ; after breakfast, to collect them
all again. This kept us busy until 10 o'clock a. m., the time
for their liquid diet, which meant ninety cups of either
milk, orange juice or ice water. Then change their night
dresses. This kept us until 12 o'clock, time for diet again.
Many improved and went home well who, if they had not
been brought to the hospital, would have died of neglect."

Another Sister writes : " I left Germantown early the

32 American Catholic Historical Society

next morning (October lo) for Holmesburg. During the
day two Sisters came from St. Monica's, and the three of
us went to the hospital. Our experience of the first night
can hardly be described, as the place was anything but
ready. Only a few nurses and three poor Sisters without
any experience. They did not stop bringing in patients
during the whole night. We had as many as three and
four always waiting to be put to bed. Thank God, the next
night things had wonderfully improved. Everything now
seemed to be in working order, and plenty of good help,
from various sources. First of all, the good Sisters, some
firemen from different fire-houses, and some prisoners from
the prison (House of Correction) who were serving time.
All worked faithfully, and seemed willing and eager to do
anything to be helpful.

" I remained on night duty from Oct. lo to Oct. 38;
working twelve hours, from seven to seven. During this
time I had the consolation of some conversions, and of see-
ing many return to the Sacraments . . . not one Catholic
under my observation died without receiving the Last
Sacraments."

The Sisters from Germantown were taken to Holmes-
burg daily in a private car. Their hours " on duty " were
7 a. m. to 7 p. m.

" The poor suffering men," writes one of the Sisters in
her report to the Superior, " were cheered by our presence,
and in addition to the physical services we could render
them, many of them were spiritually benefitted. . . . Our
garb, of course, represented religion to many of these poor
sufferers. . . . Many asked for our prayers, and I humbly
believe many of them were brought to make good acts of
contrition, and so had a good death because of our pres-
ence. As is usual, we also made a favorable impression
upon many of the non-Catholics. Numbers of them were

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 33

at least taught to say their prayers, and many asked us
about our faith. One poor Jew, who knew nothing about
rehgion, noticed the Sacred Heart badge pinned on my
apron, and asked, ' Why do you wear the picture of Christ ?'
I explained to him how we asked the Sacred Heart (which
symbolizes God's love in the Sacred Humanity of Jesus) to
protect us. 'If the Christ will protect you,' he said, ' why
not pin one on me, so that I too may ask Him to cure me ?'
I pinned it on. While doing so I asked him what he would
do if he got better. ' Then I'll wear it,' he answered, ' that
He may protect me during the remainder of my life.' "

Another Sister reports to her Superior : "At first we had
great trouble about transportation, leaving home (St. Mon-
ica's) about four in the morning and getting back about
nine p. m. In the intervening hours we were engaged con-
stantly waiting on the sick and dying. I was assigned to
the women's acute ward. This meant that death was an-
ticipated for the patients in that ward. I was present at
many, many deaths, and tried to help them turn their last
thoughts to God. One case impressed me deeply. A Lu-
theran woman lay dying on a cot. Her little girl, a mere
baby, lay very ill in the next cot. The mother became un-
conscious and for hours the child tugged at the white screen,
which was placed around the dying bed, begging a word
from her mother. The mother died and yet the baby called.
A week or so later the little one was taken away to a home,
but still questioning the apparent neglect of her mother.
Many of the patients were Catholics, and appreciated the
badges of the Sacred Heart which were given them. As
usual, the Jews thought they were missing something, and
some of them asked for a ' Red Ticket ' too."

Another Sister tells of what appeared to be an inter-
minable ride by trolley — an hour and thirty minutes from
the Convent to the Home for the Indigent at Byberry.

34 American Catholic Historical Society

The Sisters were not familiar with car routes, and had been
told to inquire from the conductors how to reach the
" Home for the Indigent ". They were amused, perhaps a
little humbled, to hear the instructions of one conductor to
another as they changed trolleys : " These ladies for the
Home of the Indignant ".

The first experience of this same Sister after reaching
the hospital was a scene of singular pathos, yet one of the
not unusual occurrences during the epidemic. Shortly after
the Sister's entrance into the ward an Italian woman died.
By her side were her brother and her son, a boy of fifteen,
who could not speak English. The Sister was moved to
pity by the uncontrolled sobbing of the boy. As she knew
that the body must be removed, she tried to offer some
consolation. She then, through an interpreter, an Italian
working on the place, learned that the boy's father lay at
home dead, and that he had not a dollar in the world to
meet the cost of burying the remains of his parents. " Fin-
ally we advised them to consult the Society of St. Vincent
de Paul, and we felt that they would receive assistance."

In contrast to the above experience is one of the follow-
ing day, told by the same Sister. "A very respectable col-
ored woman was seriously ill, and I observed that the
screen, which is usually put around the bed of the dying,^
was placed around her bed. By the side of the bed two
other colored women were kneeling, and a tall man stood
at the head of the bed. Seeing the weeping women kneel-
ing and thinking that I might be of some service, I stepped
close to them and asked, ' Are you Catholics?' ' No,' re-
plied one of the women, ' but Helen thought she would like
to receive Communion before she dies.' * And is this your
minister?' said I. ' Yes.' Turning to me, the minister then
said that he thought Helen's head should be raised slightly
while she swallowed the contents of a wine glass which he
held. I gladly raised Helen's head, spoke a word or two

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 35

of consolation and went away, never thinking of a com-
munion service.

" A few minutes later I met a Catholic nurse, who told
me the details. The minister, on arriving at the hospital,
had asked for wine. There was no wine. Brandy was
then asked for. There was none to be found in the drug
department. " But we have whiskey." He accepted the
substitute, whiskey. " Now may I have a little bread ?" he
asked. It was found that there was no bread in the build-
ing. " But we have crackers and Uneeda biscuits." These
were accepted — crackers and whiskey, materia apta for
Helen's last Communion. Instead of a stimulant, as the
Sister thought, these were the sacramental elements, in the
subjective and sincere faith of the participants, of the most
sacred and divine rite in the heritage of Christian religion.
Whatever the results, physiological or psychological, of the
crackers and whiskey, Helen improved, and, when the Sister
left the hospital, she was a promising convalescent."

Another Sister reports : " One man said to me : ' Sister,
God must have sent me here to change my opinion of you
Catholic ladies. I hated Catholics before this epidemic.
Now I shall revere the name of the Catholic Sisterhoods,
and defend them as my life. You good ladies came here
to nurse us at the risk of your own lives, and I have learned
my lesson. God bless you.' "

One of the Sisters reports this bit of revelation of the
psychology of human nature, colored. " There was a rift
in the clouds of sorrow at times," she says, " that we find
amusing now, in the retrospect. A colored girl who was
helping in the diet kitchen thought she missed two of the
Sisters one night, and finally she asked, ' Where are your
two little blue-eyed girls tonight ? I sure hope they're not
sick.' I told her that they were in another ward on duty.
After considerable thought, she asked, ' Is it true that they
have not been out after dark for six years?' * Yes,' I re-

36 American Catholic Historical Society

plied, * and I have not been out after nightfall for twenty-
five years.' She could find no words adequate to express
her astonishment, but for days she repeated this choice bit
of gossip to everyone who came in any way near her
vicinity."

Women's Hospital, Fortieth and Parrish.

Two Sisters of the Immaculate Heart from St. Agatha's
Convent served here on night duty, 7 p. m. to 7 a. m.

One of the Sisters writes: " We were inexperienced, but
tried to follow out the doctor's orders. We watched care-
fully, and especially when we found a patient's chart marked
serious. Each night we assisted at several deaths. After
respiration ceased we prepared the bodies for the morgue.
The month of October, 191 8, numbers some of the most
memorable and, I trust, some of the most meritorious days
of my life."

Another Sister tells of her experience and impressions:
" Leaving the Convent each evening about seven o'clock,
we were on duty until seven next morning. I was appointed
to a ward where the violent patients were cared for. It
was a terrible sight to behold, I shudder to recall it; the
poor victims, some delirious and screaming, others trying to
sleep, and still others breathing their last. I was instructed
to keep a close watch that no one got out of bed. There
was one woman, who weighed over two hundred, who had
to be carefully watched. She had made vain attempts to
get away, and was now strapped to the bed. She was vio-
lently tearing the bedclothes. I remember how, after this
woman died, I trembled when the nurse asked me to assist
her in preparing the body for burial. I feared to show re-
luctance ; I had no experience, but offered to do my best.

" Another evening, on reaching the ward I found a col-
ored lady giving considerable trouble. Toward midnight
her screams and shrieks in delirium were terrible. While I

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 37

assisted the nurse in strapping her to the bed, she attempted
to strike me with a glass tumbler, and nearly tore the uni-
form off the nurse. She would have injured us both if
we had not quickly overpowered her and strapped her
securely to the bed.

" Each night was a repetition of the previous one — bath-
ing the sick, distributing medicines, giving nourishment,
preparing the dead for the morgue. This continued for two
weeks, when at last the plague was under control, and we
returned to our Convent with memories of an experience
which will remain as long as we live."

Phoenixville Hospital.

A Sister sent to Phoenixville for relief work from the
Convent of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, Sacred
Heart Parish, Philadelphia, gives her experience in part.
She says that " most of the patients ; in fact, as it appeared
to us, all were foreigners : Italians, Poles, Slavs, Lithu-
anians. We could hardly understand a word they uttered.
We learned later to know them by their first names, the last
(family) name being usually too difficult to spell and im-
possible to pronounce. In many instances entire families
were in the hospital. One case in particular, a family of
seven, came under our notice. From the mother of this
family came the pleading request every time we passed the
bed: 'Sis', you getta my man; Sis', justa five min, me
looka my man.' After vain attempts to quiet the fears of
the poor sick woman, the Sisters, believing that they had
located the ' man ' wanted, a convalescent in the men's ward,
had him brought to ' Rosie ', who, with loud protests and
gesticulations, gave evidence that he was not the * man ' in
request, and renewed her pleading, * Sis', justa five min,
me looka my man '."

This same Sister gives an interesting description of the
death of a young woman, a Slav of powerful frame. A

38 American Catholic Historical Society

young man, who came to the hospital every day to act as
interpreter, told her of her dangerous condition. Im-
mediately she began to sing very plaintively. We asked
him what she was saying. He told us that she was begging
God for mercy. We lighted the candle, and procuring holy
water, we began to recite the prayers for the dying. As
there was no crucifix at hand, I took mine from the chain
and placed it in her hand. She pressed it to her lips very
devoutly." She died repeating, after the Sisters, the beau-
tiful aspiration, " My Jesus, mercy ".

During the recitation of prayers for the dying, the Sister
says, every other sound was hushed in the ward. The
nurses marveled and expressed their surprise at the power
of this simple act of religion to quiet the moaning and the
constant appeals of the other sufferers in the ward.

One of the nurses, herself a " convalescent ", remarked,
when first she saw the Sisters without the " mask how
young they appeared; and she was impressed especially by
one Sister's youthful appearance, whom she judged to be
about twenty-one. That Sister is a jubilarian, twenty-five
years professed in religion.

After conditions in the hospital were gotten well under
control, the Philadelphia Sisters assisted their associates of
the Phoenixville Community in the work of "district nurs-
ing " in a section of the town known as the Italian, or for-
eign settlement. Judging from the Sisters' vivid descrip-
tion of experiences here, these were foreigners not only to
American customs and ways of life, but too often strangers
to cleanliness and sanitary surroundings. Truly, most of
us know little — perhaps, under ordinary conditions, care
less — about how the rest of us live or exist.

" After two weeks of this experience," the Sister says,
" we returned to our Convent, glad to have been able to do
some little service for suffering humanity." They returned
from the passing experience of public notice to the daily

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 39

routine of school work, the work of a life devoted to the
training of the spirit, the minds and af¥ections of other
men's children, a work less prominent in the eye of the
public, but of vital importance to the religion and morals
of the growing generation, the support and security of
social and civil life for the future.

PoTTSviLLE — Sisters I. H. M.

One of the Sisters, who had previously been doing dis-
trict nursing in the parish of St. Francis de Sales, describes
the call for help in Pottsville, the meeting of ten Sisters
(this number was later increased to fourteen) at the sta-
tion for the train which leaves Philadelphia 4 : 30 p. m.,
their arrival, and their welcome by the Sisters of St. Joseph
at St. Patrick's Convent, Pottsville, October 10. The Sis-
ters were so distributed as to have some of them on duty at
each of the three hospitals during both shifts, night and
day — 7 a. m. to 7 p. m.

"That night" (Oct. 10), writes this Sister, "three
other Sisters and myself were appointed for night duty.
These were my hours on duty during my two week's stay
in Pottsville. I shall never forget my first night's experi-
ence in the Armory Emergency Hospital, where there were
on one floor about eighty men, and on the other about one
hundred women. The hardest thing of all, especially for
one who had never before witnessed death, was to see these
strong men dying off one after the other. ... It was re-
markable that even the non-Catholics asked the Sisters to
remain near them, and in their dying moments they would
repeat the beautiful aspiration: * My Jesus, mercy'."

SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH.

Relief Work of the Sisters of St. Joseph in "Emergency Hospitals",
General Hospitals, and Institutions.

October 8. — Emergency Hospital, Number 3, Philopa-
trian, seems to hold the honor of having been the first to be

40 American Catholic Historical Society

placed under the charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The
charge was given by His Grace, the Most Reverend Arch-
bishop, following many appeals for relief from city author-
ities, on the afternoon of October 8, the day before the
meeting of Religious Superiors at the Archbishop's resi-
dence. On the morning of the ninth of October, 141 1
Arch Street was still furnished for its purposes, as the
home of the Philopatrian Club. At ten o'clock p. m. of the
same day the furnishings of the Club House had been
changed for the equipment of a modern hospital. Among
the first patients received here were eighteen U. S. Army
men belonging to Division 8, Motor Supply Train, from
Baltimore. From the time of its opening, October 9, to its
closing, October 30, 191 8, fifty Sisters of St. Joseph served
in this Emergency Hospital. This number includes " sub-
stitutes ". The Sisters had orders to report the first symp-
toms of illness. Seven Sisters were sent from this " Emer-
gency " to the Community Hospital in the Mother House
at Chestnut Hill ; one of them died. The Sister nurse, first
nurse in charge, was taken to the Mother House ill after
about a week's service, and was for many days at the very
door of death.

One case of overcoming prejudices among the Army
men deserves notice here. One of these men, a Catholic.,
seeing with satisfaction how comfortable his companions
were made by the care of the Sisters, said to one of the
Religious that he had had to endure much that was humili-
ating and an insult to religion from his fellows in camp.
One of the chief points of controversy turned upon our
Catholic Sisterhoods — a general impression among non-
Catholics was that the Sisters are, at the very best, a use-
less ornament in human society. " We were all very sick
men," the Catholic in uniform concluded, " when we came
here. We had been lying around City Hall waiting to be
taken in somewhere. When I saw that we struck the Sisters,

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Iniliienza 41

going round putting water-bottles and ice-bags to us, and
bathing, and making everybody feel some ease from suf-
fering, I could hardly wait till I got a chance to say : ' Hey,
fellows, what good are they? When we get out of this,
they will have nothing to say but what is good a:bout the
Sisters." Another Army man, asked by one of the priests
how the Sisters treated them, answered: " Fine; they treat
us like our mothers." These soldiers were very evidently
sincere in their expressions of gratitude when they left the
hospital. Moreover, every man in the detachment, includ-
ing non-Catholics, before leaving the hospital asked for and
received a badge of the Sacred Heart, which they had seen
given to Catholic patients. Some of the men during their
illness edified the Sisters by perseverance in memorizing
prayers and aspirations for the hour of death, which they
requested to be taught, after observing the practice among
their Catholic fellow-sufferers.

St. Columba's Emergency Hospital.
This Emergency Hospital was opened " when the epi-
demic was at its height " in St. Columba's beautiful parish
school, as authorized by the Archbishop. It was intended
at first for the people of the parish only, but later all were
admitted from other parishes, and all races and denomina-
tions.

Twelve Sisters of St. Joseph, teachers in the school, vol-
unteered to care for the sick, though only one of these had
had the advantage of any hospital training. One hundred
cases of influenza were treated here, and there was not one
death, though some were sent later to sanitariums to recu-
perate. Five doctors were in attendance, and they called it
" The Banner Hospital " of the city. In one family the
mother died (at her home?), leaving the father with nine
children. The father, in gratitude for care given the chil-
dren, told the Sisters that if he ever became a millionaire

42 American Catholic Historical Society

he would leave half his wealth to them — a crude way, per-
haps, of expressing real and sincere goodness of heart.
However, the Sisters have decided to build no air convents
on the promise. The nine kiddies will have a first claim.

The Sisters at St. Columba's went out also, when re-
quired, to care for the sick in private homes. Some of these
cases of " district nursing " deserve notice as illustrating
again the conditions of the afflicted and some symptoms of
the disease.

One case is reported, in which " The Board of Health "
had forbidden anyone to enter the house. The father and
three children were brought to the hospital, leaving the
mother's dead body to be attended to (at home). Sores
and vermin called for the Sisters' immediate attention.

St. Patrick's Hospital — Emergency, Number 8.

The decision to turn over St. Patrick's Hall, 511 South
2 1 St Street, for the use of an Emergency Hospital was
reached about noon on October 9. Volunteers from the
parish cleaned the building and fitted it for its new purpose
in the service of humanity. At eleven o'clock a. m. on the
following day, October 10, the first patient was admitted.
Before midnight of that same day eighty patients had been
received in St. Patrick's Emergency. Every section of the
city was represented and all creeds and colors.

The nursing was in charge of three graduate nurses.
The burden of the nursing was assumed by eighteen Sisters
of St. Joseph from St. Patrick's School and other parishes.
Seventeen students from the Seminary gave their services
as " orderlies ". The spiritual needs of patients were under
the care of the clergy at St. Patrick's. One hundred and
fifty-four cases were admitted during the eighteen days that
the hospital was in operation — sixty in the women's ward,
thirty-seven in the men's ward, and fifty-seven in the chil-
dren's ward. There were thirty-four deaths; fifteen of

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 43

these occurred in less than twenty-four hours after admis-
sion. There were no deaths during the last nine days of
the hospital's operation. Doctor Wilmer Krusen, Director
of Public Health and Charities, from whose Report the
above points are drawn, says : " We are justly proud of our
low mortality."

A Sister who was " in the service " at St .Patrick's Emer-
gency, recounting her experience and impressions, writes :
" I saw conditions beyond the power of description. It is
one thing to read or hear of suffering, quite another to be-
hold it in reality. About the Hall were arranged cots, con-
taining men, on the first floor, women and children on the
second. Nearly every race and condition were there rep-
resented. The police brought in the cases just as they
found them " — from the homes of the afflicted, off the
street.

Among the patients cared for tenderly by the Sisters was
a " Stone Man ", who stated that he had been an indus-
trious agent in distributing The Menace and anti-Catholic
prints of the same stamp. After witnessing the unselfish
devotedness evidenced in the work of the Sisters in this
hospital, he proclaimed emphatically, with a bit of uncon-
scious profanity, that he had done with such traffic; that for
the future he had no common cause with anyone who would
dare to speak against the Church or Catholic Sisterhoods,
whose work he had now seen, whose character and prac-
tical charity were proven to him by facts in a way which
no language of the vendors of " sensation ", muck-rakers,
enemies of religion, and strangers to human charity could
ever disprove or counteract.

HOLMESBURG EMERGENCY No. I.

October ninth came a call from the acting secretary of
the Archbishop, for help to be given at Emergency Hospital
No. I, Holmesburg, where the city authorities, appealing

44 American Catholic Historical Society

to the Archbishop for aid and reHef, said that conditions
were appalhng. In response to this call eight Sisters of St.
Joseph from St. Anne's and seven from the Ascension
were detailed for relief work at the Holmesburg Hospital.
The Sisters made themselves generally useful in the work
of caring for the sick. They washed the patients, combed
their hair, took temperatures, pulse and respirations, made
up beds, carried trays, swept the wards day and night from
October ninth to October twenty-fifth. The nurse in charge
says, writing to the superiors of the Sisters who gave their
services : " It has meant a great deal to us to have the Sis-
ers here to help us. They have done splendidly in the wards,
and we are sorry to see them go. I do not know what we
would have done without their help. I thank you for your
splendid help and co-operation." A like letter was sent
also to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart and the Sisters
of Notre Dame at Tacony.

One of the Sisters, writing to her superior, expresses
what probably describes quite accurately the thought and
the feeling of most of the generous volunteers. " When
called to these new duties," she says, " for which few of
the Sisters had any special training, there was a feeling of
dread and apprehension, not of the contagion, but of fear
lest inexperience and lack of training result in failure, and
render our efforts ineffective." As usual, with good inten-
tions, the Lord has taken care of results.

This Sister gives some valuable facts, impressions and
personal experience, which help us to see conditions as they
were, the attitude of city officials and the dispositions of the
poor afflicted patients.

" Entering the next ward," she writes, " the Sisters were
overwhelmed with pity and compassion at the sight of the
sufferers. Many of them were so discolored as to seem
black in the face. . . . The Sisters were assigned to differ-
ent phases of work: some to take temperatures; others to

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InUuensa 45

prepare ice caps and hot-water bags and refreshing drinks ;
others to prepare the diet, and others to give medicines.
These definite assignments made the work more methodical
and brought conditions under control. Patients were
being brought in by the police and others in trucks, ambu-
lances and wagons, and by nightfall the ward was nearly
filled [probably October 9], and a number of extreme cases
had died. There was [then] only one orderly in the place,
and the dead often lay for some time waiting to be removed.

" At 6: 30 p. m. the Sisters of St. Joseph gave place to
the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, who were on night
duty.

" The shifts were twelve hours until October 18, at the
earliest, when there was a meeting of the representatives of
the Sisterhoods at Holmesburg advised by the Archbishop,
to talk over the problem of shortening the hours of service
to eight, making three shifts. The compiler has been un-
able to uncover the result of this meeting. Shorter hours
would mean more Sisters to serve. This, in the face of
numbers depleted by sickness in the various communities,
was the real problem to be solved.

" On the second day the Sisters found that many of the
first day's patients had died during the night. On this same
day Doctor Krusen and several other physicians visited the
hospital. The Doctor spoke to each Sister personally, and
expressed his gratitude for their services, saying that the
Archbishop had done much to lessen the spread of the epi-
demic by giving the Sisters permission to serve. On the
third day a number of firemen came from the Holmesburg
fire-house and gave the Sisters much-needed help. About
the end of the second week the number of patients began to
decrease, so that one of the nurses exclaimed : * Sister, can
you believe it, an hour has passed without the entrance of
a new case ' !

" With the exception of two Mexicans, all the patients
were most eager to be waited on by the Sisters, and were

46 American Catholic Historical Society

also very grateful to them. Even the Jews and Protestants
would repeat, like little children, the prayers and aspira-
tions suggested by the Sisters, who were, of course, careful
not to obtrude on any patient prayers likely to be against
his sentiments. . . . Nearly all the non-Catholics wished to
have a badge of the Sacred Heart, and one Protestant said
to a Sister that no amount of money would induce him to
part with it."

Mount Sinai Hospital.

October 13, at the request of the civil authorities, sent
through His Grace, the Most Reverend Archbishop, eight
Sisters went to Mount Sinai Hospital. One detail went
early in the morning. When the second detachment ar-
rived, the Superintendent said : " The Sisters are upstairs
and working very hard. It's quite a change from the soci-
ety ladies who were here last week." ^ After putting the
nurse's garb over their habit, the Sisters went into the
wards and to the private rooms. To their surprise, the
Sisters found many of the nurses Catholics, and all were
cordial and friendly. For two weeks, the Sisters attended
the hospital all day; during that time they baptized two
children and, by request, a woman. One of the nurses
baptized a boy of twelve who desired it. The effect of the
Sisters' presence in the wards was very noticeable. One
nurse said : The nurses were talking last evening about
the Sisters, and saying that when they entered the wards
everything became quiet. I did not believe it at first, but
now I have seen it."

The Sisters took up all ordinary nurse's work. They
helped all through the hospital, in the wards for both men

1 Of the ladies along the Main Line the Compiler has been informed
by Sisters who served in Bryn Mawr Emergency, that their earnest,
sincere and effective hard work, in preparing vegetables and fruit for
the kitchen, and arranging trays for the sick, was a source of encourage-
ment and edification to the Sisters.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 47

and women. During the first week about six patients died
every day ; in the second week the death rate was lower.

Waiting on one man, a Jew, the Sisters heard him softly
humming the air of Catholic hymns, especially "Jesus,
the All-beautiful ". As he grew better, he wanted the Sis-
ters to talk to him, and he told them he had been educated
by the Christian Brothers in New York. A Sister sug-
gested prayer to him. He answered that he felt sure God
never intended him to be a Christian. However, when he
was leaving the hospital, he said : " Sister, pray for me,
and I in return will always ask the Great Jehovah to bless
you for all you have done for us here." He told the Sisters
that as he watched them going about through the ward, he
thought of a story the Brothers had told the boys of a re-
ligious who had gone out to walk in the streets, intending
thus to preach a lesson to people by his modesty and recol-
lected demeanor.

For Jewish Hospital, see report of St. Mary's Academy,
Sisters of St. Joseph.

St. John's Nursery — Emergency Hospital No, 4.

This hospital was opened October 9, at 3 : 30 p. m. At
9 : 30 there were nineteen patients, and October 1 1 it had
forty patients. These all were children. Seven of them
were baptized at the hospital. One child was brought by a
Jewish father. As the Sister received it, she saw it was
dying. She immediately baptized it and the poor father
took the dead body away with him.

A Children's Hospital, a branch of St. John's Day Nur-
sery, was opened at 12 16 Vine Street. Here were received
infants and children up to the age of seven. There was a
strange medley of races and nationahties : Jews were
numerous. Several Jewish babies were baptized who died.
The little tots took great delight in blessing themselves and
babbling aspirations.

48 American Catholic Historical Society

The Catholic Home — 29TH and Allegheny Ave.

In the Catholic Home there were two hundred and fifty-
nine cases of sick children. Six of these died of pneumonia.
Five of the Sisters in cliarge of the children were also
very sick. But Sisters from other houses were sent to the
rescue, thus " saving the lives ", the Superior says, of
many of the children ".

The physician in charge of the Catholic Home was
astonished, he said, at the way the Sister-teachers adapted
themselves to the work of nursing and how exactly his
orders were carried out. Sometimes he came at i a. m. to
3 a. m., yet always found these nurses on night duty.
He said : " I am a Thirty-second Degree Mason, but I
must say I have never seen such devotion as the Sisters
lavish on these poor orphans."

ViLLANOVA College.

October 10 eight Sisters were detailed for relief work at
Villanova College, where eight trained nurses were over-
worked attending to the sick in the Seminary (St. Mary's
Hall) and Tolentine Academy, for boys under sixteen.
Conditions in the College S. A. T. C. were then quite under
control. In St. Mary's Hall there were fifty-three cases of
influenza out of sixty-nine students and three priests resi-
dent in the building. Three students died — Albert Starr, a
Deacon; John Dorgan, Professed; and Gilbert Klunk,
Novice. All together seventy-five cases were treated in St.
Mary's Hall, the junior students being brought over from
the preparatory school for better convenience in nursing
and attention.

A diet kitchen was established in St. Mary's Hall and the
Sisters turned their attention and energy to every phase of
"emergency" work — cooking, washing (in bath-tubs —
there was no laundry in the building), cleaning rooms and
corridors, and relieving the nurses in the care of the sick

W ork of the Sisters dttring Epidemic of Influenza 49

night and day. There were eighteen beds in the commun-
ity room; class rooms were filled, and cots set up in the re-
ception halls and four cots in the vestibule.

The Sisters who served here were: two from Mt. St.
Joseph's, Chestnut Hill, two from Our Mother of Conso-
lation, Chestnut Hill, two from St. Charles' Church, Phila-
delphia, two from Our Mother of Sorrows, Philadelphia.

Misericordia Hospital was, of course, the chief care and
burden of the Sisters of Mercy during the epidemic. As in
all the other hospitals, it was necessary to call in outside
help.

One hundred and forty-one cases of the influenza were
admitted to Misericordia Hospital during the epidemic, from
September 16 to November 10. Of these, twenty-two de-
veloped pneumonia; and of the one hundred and forty-one
cases, there were thirty deaths. All the Sisters who could
be spared from parish schools and the two academies were
needed at the hospital. Nineteen of the Sisters of the Im-
maculate Heart from St. Gabriel's and the Catholic Home
Bureau also assisted at the hospital during the early days
of the epidemic, until new conditions demanded their aid in
caring for the children at the Home Bureau and elsewhere.

The Sisters of Mercy have charge of six parish schools
in the diocese. In all these parishes the Sisters nursed the
sick and cared for the afflicted in private homes.

One case is reported where an old grandmother of eighty
was trying to do the house work and care for a family of
six — father, mother and four children, all very ill. The
Sisters took charge of this house, supplying food and bed-
clothes for the comfort of the sick, and succeeded in nurs-
ing all back to health but one child, who died.

SISTERS OF MERCY.

St. Malachy's.

50 American Catholic Historical Society

Another case is given of a poor widowed mother and
three children, ranging in age from two to six years. The
Sisters found them Hving in one room. Conditions here
were pitiable, a bed, a crib, a stove, a bureau, unwashed
dishes and cans made up the furniture and adornment of
this poor little home. All the patients were in bed wearing
the clothing which they had on when taken sick, trying to
keep warm. The poor mother was covered with a blanket
badly worn, the children with an old coat. The Sisters
cleaned and put the room in order, prepared the mother to
receive the Sacraments, and cared for the family until all
were on the way to recovery. In the meantime the diet and
food for the sick were carried to them daily from the
Convent.

St. Margaret's, Narbeth.
In one home father and mother and four children were
all sick. When the Sisters who were called to this house
arrived, they found that one of the children, a girl of
fourteen, had just died, after receiving the Sacraments.
The body was awaiting burial, but the sick required first
attention. The father was very sick. The Sisters nursed
and cared for this family for two weeks. All, excepting the
little girl, recovered, and the Sister has noted that the father
is spiritually and morally a better man since this trial of
sickness.

Our Lady of Lourdes.
A description is given of a poor family, French, just
come from Canada. They could speak hardly a word of
English. The Sisters found the mother and four children
suffering from influenza. " The house was totally unfur-
nished." On a mattress placed on the floor lay a little baby
with very little clothing. The Sister went out to neighbors
and begged beds and linens, and after a few hours they had
the little home fit at least for human habitation. All here
recovered, and are very grateful to the Sisters.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InHtcema 5 1

From Misericordia Hospital comes a description of two
pathetic cases. One in which the father and mother of a
family of eight, ranging in age from three weeks to ten
years, had both contracted the disease, with usual compli-
cations, pneumonia. They were brought into the hospital
on a double stretcher. The mother died on the second day,
just as the father was passing through his crisis. When he
recovered consciousness there were eager questions about
his wife. But her body was resting quietly in the grave
long before the truth could be made known to him — and the
children. The Catholic Home Bureau received many like
these. 1 I

The other is the case of a yoimg orphan girl of eighteen,
a stenographer in one of our large corporations. She was
far advanced in the disease when admitted and her little
white bed was surrounded by a portable screen to shield
her from the surrounding patients. During the night her
delirium was frightful, and it became necessary to restrain
both wrists and ankles. For three days and nights she
hung between life and death, not remaining quiet for one
minute. About half past two in the morning of the fourth
day the Sister on night duty heard the most pitiful cry, and
hastening over to the little sufferer just returned to con-
sciousness, heard the heartrending question, " Sister, what
did I ever do that they did this to me ? Take them off, oh,
Sister, won't you take them off?" Seeing that her mind
was quite clear, and that her temperature had returned to
normal, the Sister freed her from the bonds which shielded
her from danger during delirium, and in a few days the
little patient had fully recovered.

Mother of Good Counsel, Bryn Mawr.

The Sisters at Bryn Mawr were called by local physicians
and representatives of the " Red Cross " to serve in the
Bryn Mawr Emergency in conjunction with the Sisters of

52 American Catholic Historical Society

the Immaculate Heart, St. Katharine's, Wayne, and the
Sisters of Mercy at Rosemont. The shifts were divided
into two for the day, one at night, 8 a. m. to i p. m. ; i p. m.
to 7 p. m. ; and the night vigil from y p. m. to 8 a. m.
About one hundred cases of influenza were treated here.
Twenty deaths out of this one hundred are reported. The
most serious cases (usually of violent delirium) and the
deaths were mainly of foreigners. The Sisters served two
weeks in this Emergency. Two of the Sisters were called
also for outside work, one at the Mater Misericordiae
Academy, Merion, the other to care for the sick in private
homes.

2 SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR.

Fifteen of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, from
their Convent Academy, West Rittenhouse Square, served
night and day at the Emergency established in the old
" Medico-Chirurgical ", Eighteenth and Cherry Streets,
from October lo to October 26. Ten of the Sisters were
in attendance during the day shift, five at night. During
the first two weeks the shifts were twelve hours; after that
they were changed to eight hours. The first request for
help came on the afternoon of October tenth. The Sisters
were on duty that same night. The need of the Sisters'
services was quite patent. Each ward, as described in the
report of the Sisters, contained about fifty to fifty-five
patients under the care of one trained nurse and one, some-
times two. Sisters. In addition to these were the doctors,
senior medical students and orderlies. The doctors and
nurses seemed very sincere in noting what they called the
earnestness, fidelity and care of the Sisters' work, and the
influence of their presence upon troublesome or intractable
patients.

It was remarked that " the Sisters did not have to be
told what was to be done. They saw what was needed, and
did it quietly and promptly." There was a noticeable re-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InUiienza 53

spect and veneration for the habit and profession of re-
ligion among all, Catholics and non-Catholics, which re-
mains with the Sisters one of the most consoling memories
of the days of the epidemic.

Many letters were received by the Sisters, of acknowledg-
ment and kind appreciation, from patients and friends of
those who were under their care at the hospital.

Two of the Sisters contracted the disease, though the
malady developed only in its milder form. They had fully
recovered, and were back at regular school work when this
report was made to the compiler, Dec. 7, 191 8.

POTTSVILLE.

Three hospitals in Pottsville were served night and day,
by eight Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Patrick's Convent,
Pottsville, six Sisters of the same order from St. Mary's
Convent, St. Qair, and ten Sisters of the Immaculate Heart
(this number was later increased to fourteen) from Phila-
delphia. These hospitals were the Pottsville General Hos-
pital, the Armory Emergency, and the Milliken Home
Emergency. This latter is the residence of a wealthy fam-
ily, and was turned over for the use of the influenza victims
during the epidemic.

" At the Armory Emergency six Sisters of St. Joseph
from St. Clair were on night duty (this appears to refer to
a time earlier than the arrival of the relief corps of Sisters
of the Immaculate Heart sent from Philadelphia, October
10). There were one hundred and twenty-five in this
Emergency under the care of five doctors and five trained
nurses. But about three-fourths of the patients were in a
dying condition. Fifteen out of every twenty, the doctor
said, would die. Fourteen men and two women died dur-
ing the Sisters' first night in attendance. About one-half
of those in the hospital were foreigners, and nearly all Cath-
olics. Many had not received the Sacraments, and could not

54 American Catholic Historical Society

speak English. The Sisters sent for priests who could hear
their Confessions. The Slavish and Lithuanian priests were
sick in bed. However, the Sisters reached a Greek priest in
New Philadelphia, who came, and prepared twenty men for
death between the hours of 1 1 p. m. and 4 a. m. The Potts-
ville priests were marvels of self-sacrifice in their attend-
ance. The " Red Cross " gave the Sisters a lunch at eleven
o'clock, in order to enable them to receive Holy Communion
in the morning before going to rest.

In caring for private families the Sisters found in one
home a mother and seven children, all ill, who had been
left without medical attendance or care for several days.
The mother died, despite all the Sisters could do to save
her, and the seven children, with many others left orphans
under like conditions, were later placed in suitable Catholic
homes.

One case is reported of the non-Catholic wife of a man
(Catholic?). She was dying. None of her own relatives
would go near her. The Sisters knelt beside her, making
aspirations and Acts of Contrition which she repeated until
she died. " Many, it is stated, died absolutely of starva-
tion and want of care."

" Often the Sisters (in the hospitals) had to get the
bodies ready for the morgue, to wrap them in blankets, and
tag them, and then prepare the bed for another, half-dead,
waiting for a place."

" As we entered the Armory," writes one Sister, " we
saw a poor woman just breathing her last. Sister hurried
to her side just in time to say * My Jesus, mercy !'. She had
not received the last Sacraments. After the Sisters entered
on their duties, no Catholic, thank God, died without the
Sacraments. The nurses would bring the Sisters word to
see to the spiritual help of certain patients whose families
had sent a special request that the Sisters be with them in
their agony. The relatives in these cases could not come,

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InUuema 55

being ill or in attendance on the dead or dying in their own
homes. Being short of help, the authorities sent to the
Armory some men from the county jail. One of these
came to Sister and said : ' Sister, please give me a rosary.'
She gave it to him, also a medal of Our Blessed Mother,
and pinned on him a Sacred Heart badge. He then said to
her: 'Sister, my time will be up on December ist, and
when I come out I'm going to be a different man '."

Another Sister writes : " When volunteers were called
for to serve in Milliken's Hospital, Pottsville, I went into
the Chapel and offered my life and my work into our Lord's
hands. We two started at 8 p. m. What sights and sounds
met us as we entered that room where eighty-four patients
were moaning and crying for help! There were about
forty babies in one room, all crying and perfectly helpless,
their ages ranging from six days to two and a half years.
We began at once on our appointed work, and you may be
sure none died without the Sacraments. All night long we
were kept moving by appeals for ' water ', ' ice and other
needful things, with only the wish that hands and feet
could be multiplied. So many foreigners were among the
sick, one pitied them all the more (because they could not
make known their wants?). Some were so far gone that
worms were crawling out of their mouths. One morning
when I was combing a woman's hair, she coughed, and put-
ting in her hand pulled out a worm that seemed to me a
yard long; nor were worms the only kind of vermin crawl-
ing about. And the poor babies! One could not tell at
first whether they were black or white : one woman refused
her baby when it was taken to her, not recognizing it after
it had been washed.

" All night long both men and women would call for the
Sisters; ' just to be near me, Sister; then I can die happy
One poor woman in her agony said : * O Sister, tell me
something about God and heaven, and hold my baby so I

56 American Catholic Historical Society

can see it '. The baby was only six days old : she died
gazing on it and repeating the Holy Name of Jesus.

" How many we prepared for death here, I could not tell
you: both soul and body, for we had to wash them after
death, tie up the chins, and close their eyes. One poor
Syrian whom the men were carrying out as dead to the
tent, turned over and said : ' I'm dead In fright the men
dropped the stretcher and ran away. Going back they
found him really dead.

" One night a nurse came very kindly to us and said she
would like to put some alcohol on our masks to make sure
they were safe. She picked up a bottle on a table near by,
and went to each Sister, moistening her mask. When she
reached the last, Sister looked at the bottle, and found it
marked : ' Madame Cecilia's Worm Remedy '.

"A New York doctor who volunteered his services in
these desperate conditions worked incessantly for fifty-
six hours and then was himself a victim of the dread
disease. He insisted that the Sisters attend him, be-
cause, he said, they were quiet and did exactly as the doc-
tors told them. He grew worse, and called for the Sisters
to pray with him. He repeated after Sister the acts of
faith, hope, and contrition, and although a non-Catholic, he
died pressing the Sacred Heart badge to his lips and saying,
' My Jesus, mercy Many other non-Catholics in that hos-
pital died showing like dispositions.

" All around us were struck and greatly edified at the
way our Catholic people died, and at the self-sacrifice of the
priests in assisting them. When the re-opening of the
schools called us from the work, the Head Nurse urged us
to remain.

" One poor Italian woman who had a beautiful voice
used in her delirium to chant the Litanies, the 'Ave Maria '
and the * Salve Regina '.

" A CathoHc nurse who became ill, and who was being
prepared for death, was in the room with another nurse, a

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InHuensa 57

Lutheran, and was somewhat alarmed about going to Con-
fession so near her companion. We explained to the Lu-
theran, who kindly consented to put her hands over her
ears and cover her head with a double blanket.

" We were told that a poor man was dying. We went
to him and found a minister by his bed. The patient asked
for a priest. A Sister then went to call the priest, but the
minister said : ' There is no use in calling the priest. The
man has been a drunkard, and it is too late now for him to
turn to the Lord '. Sister replied : ' The priest was or-
dained for the sake of sinners, and our Lord has given him
power to forgive all kinds of sin '. The priest came at 10
p. m. and administered the Last Sacraments.

" The trained nurses were especially kind in showing the
Sisters, untrained as to nursing, what to do, and how to do
it. One of the Sisters used to say jestingly: 'We can do
everything now in the line of nursing, from attending to
new-born babies to putting bodies into the coffin '.

" Several ladies, the wives of city officials, who came to
see how matters were progressing and to render service, if
possible, stayed by the Sisters as they were assisting the
patients in their agony, and were greatly struck by the
beauty and significance of the prayers said. Some even said
that they would like to die so peaceful a death as those they
saw, and would be glad to have the Sisters to assist them.

" One poor patient, a Protestant, was so violent that she
had to be strapped in bed. The minister came to see her at
once. The next day she was so weak. Sister spoke to her of
death. She replied that she was suffering so much she
was not afraid to die. Sister then spoke to her of God, and
our Lord's sufferings and death, taught her aspirations and
the Act of Contrition, which she repeated with great fervor.
From that time until she died she never ceased saying : ' My
Jesus, mercy ', ' Forgive me my sins ', ' Father, into Thy
hands I commend my spirit ', ' Lord Jesus, receive my
soul ',

58 American Catholic Historical Society

" One night two Sisters who were to go on night duty at
the Armory were ill and the Superior would not let them go.
Soon came a hurry call saying that the Sisters were needed.
The Superior replied that they were ill and she feared to let
them out that night. ' Oh, you must send some Sister,' the
nurse replied. ' We can't get along without them ; they are
better here than the police '. Afterwards she explained that
the Sisters did not act as policemen, but that when they
came and went quietly and diligently to their work, other
nurses were loth to be behind them.

" One poor patient begged the Sister to accept some
money in return for their services. She told him the Sisters
worked not for money, but for the love of God. Then he
said very earnestly and sincerely : ' Sister, how do you get
it ?' " — the mystery of God's grace.

RELIEF WORK IN PRIVATE HOMES— SISTERS I. H. M.

St. Agatha's, Philadelphia, Pa.

" On answering an urgent call in the parish, we found a
sick mother and three sick babies lying around the parlor,
crying for relief from their sufferings. They had been
there for a week in this condition. On attempting to ar-
range a bed-room for them, we discovered upstairs alone
the father in a dying condition, who told us that he had been
an invalid for years. We arranged the little ones and their
mother in fresh, clean beds, prepared nourishment for them,
and soon they were on the way to recovery. The invalid
father died.

"At the same time we were attending several homes in the
neighborhood. At one house the mother, though not seri-
ously ill, was utterly unable to attend to her little children,
one a baby of four months. Each morning we stopped
here, dressed the Httle ones and prepared a substantial
breakfast for them and nourishment for the mother. After
visiting a few others we returned to the little ones, who

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 59

were eagerly looking for dinner. Again, towards evening,
we gave these babies their supper, arranged the mother's
room for the night, undressed the children and put them
to bed.

" In one of the other homes, on our round during that
same week, there was a poor old lady without a soul to care
for her ; in another, a sick mother ; in a third, a mother and
three sick children. We did what we could for each, though
we did not remain at any one place all day, as none of these
were seriously ill. All gradually recovered.

Another home in St. Agatha's gave evidence of the
utmost destitution. Following the directions given, the
Sisters reached this place, but received no answer to their
repeated knocking at the door ; nor could they see the slight-
est sign of life around the place. Suspecting that all were
victims of the influenza, the Sisters entered the house, where
they found the most abject poverty. The father, mother,
and three little ones were all in bed, helpless. The mother
had received the Last Sacraments the night before; she
realized that recovery for her was ordinarily impossible,
and her distress at the thought of leaving her little ones was
pitiable.

The Sisters here did their best to improve conditions;
but the task was difficult, as the father, their only bread-
winner, had been ill for several weeks, and there was prac-
tically nothing in the house. With money provided for the
purpose, however, the Sisters procured sheets and neces-
sary linens, good, warm clothing, and the necessary food
and nourishment. " For eight days we worked with these
patients from early morning until late at night; but, finally,
a change came, and they all gradually grew stronger. Then
we visited them for only a few hours each day, in order to
wash them, arrange their beds, and leave them nourishing
food. After another week, we had the happiness to see all
on the sure road to recovery."

6o American Catholic Historical Society

In the same neighborhood the Sisters found a poor old
grandmother and two little children in extreme danger of
death, while, in the same bed, lay the dead body of a beau-
tiful little boy of five years. After removing the dead body
and preparing it for burial, the Sisters devoted their atten-
tion to the sufferers, all of whom recovered.

" On our arrival at one of the homes reported by our pas-
tor as requiring assistance, we found a mother and three little
ones stricken with influenza, and two other little ones
making the most of their unrestrained and unaccustomed
liberty to do just as they pleased. At first, we did not
know what to do; but we set to work. After arranging the
bedrooms and giving all possible relief and comfort to the
sick mother, we prepared some light nourishment, which
she sadly needed, and prepared for the doctor's visit. Then
we washed and dressed the little ones who were not ill, and,
finally, proceeded to prepare dinner for them and for the
father, who was at work. Dinner over, we gave a much-
needed cleaning to the rooms downstairs in the intervals
between tending to the sick. We had barely finished, when
it was time to prepare supper. Then we put the little ones
to bed and arranged the sufferers for the night. Before
returning to our Convent we prepared medicines and nour-
ishment for the father to administer during the night.
Though this poor, good man had been working laboriously
all day, he watched his loved ones every night until the
danger was past. This routine continued for ten days, when
the mother was able to manage for herself and we were
called to more needy patients.

" Among these was a very young woman who had no one
to care for her. The first day we cleaned and arranged her
room, in fact, the whole house, while we were waiting for
the priest to come to administer the Last Sacraments. Dur-
ing the week following we remained there all day, doing
all the work of the house and cooking for her husband.
She also recovered."

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InRuensa 6i

Another Sister writes : " The first house we entered was
certainly a scene of distress. Lying on a couch were a
mother and two small children; in another corner, on the
floor, were two a little older. In the adjoining room the
father was dying; on a bench, in the same apartment, lay a
young man utterly incapable of the least movement. The
only one to assist these poor victims was a little girl of ten
years. As quickly as possible we arranged the several poor
beds upstairs, procured fresh linens and sheets for them
from the Convent, and made the sufferers as comfortable as
could be expected. The mother seemed to derive her great-
est consolation from the fact that the children and her hus-
band were being cared for by the Sisters. After about two
weeks all recovered except the father, whom God called to
his reward."

Another family in the same parish presents a scene much
the same. The mother and three little children in one
room; the mother's aunt, a very old lady, in another — all
victims of the disease. The father of the little ones was
doing his poor best to assist the sufferers ; but his efforts, he
said, seemed fruitless. The Sisters here realized, as in
many cases, that the first necessity was cleanliness and fresh
air. These attended to, they administered the medicines as
prescribed by the doctor, and then prepared nourishment.
After four or five days of care and attention in this home,
the patients were fairly convalescent, and the Sisters directed
their attention to the more needy.

Passing by another house, on their errands of mercy, the
Sisters noticed one dwelling apparently closed. They dis-
covered, too, that the doors were locked. After inquiry,
the Sisters procured the key from the neighbors, and went
in. On the second floor lay a poor man, his wife, and
child, all victims of the disease, helpless and starving, though
they were far from poverty. For almost a week the Sisters
remained here from early morning until late at night; then

62 American Catholic Historical Society

after preparing nourishment and medicines, they locked
the doors and confided the key to the neighbors until next
morning. All these patients recovered.

Annunciation.

All the Sisters but one here were victims of the influenza
in serious form, so that one only served as district nurse to
several Italian families in the parish. This one later went
to the Emergency Hospital at Pottsville.

Two of the convalescents of this Convent also later at-
tended the children at the Home Bureau, 1702 Summer
Street.

St. Anthony's, Philadelphia.

Many families, especially the very poor, were visited by
the Sisters from St. Anthony's Convent; but in nearly
every case the patients were removed to emergency hospitals.

One case, however, deserves mention. A woman in ex-
treme poverty sent for aid to the Convent. She even de-
pended on the Sisters for the barest necessities : there was
no wash-basin except the dish-pan, which served all pur-
poses; no food of any kind was in the house. For two
days the Sisters cared for this poor soul, who, though not
dangerously ill (and, therefore, unable to obtain admission
to a hospital), was absolutely helpless. On Saturday eve-
ning, when the Sisters were leaving, the husband told them,
not to return on Sunday, as he would stay at home to care
for his wife. Trusting him implicitly, they obeyed. As
they were nearing the house early on Monday morning, the
neighbors came crying and asking them to get the priest, as
the man was dying. They sent for the priest, but when
they entered the sick room they found the man, not dying,
but drunk. The Sisters' services were no longer required
on this case. '

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Induensa 63

St. Clement's, Paschalville.

A Sister, who had been sent to Pottsville for relief
work, gives her experience :

" In one little home near Pottsville I discovered a young
man dying, who had neglected his religious duties for ten
years. Upon questioning, I discovered that he remembered
no prayer but the ' Hail Mary though he joyfully con-
sented to receive the Last Sacraments. After receiving the
Sacraments, placing a lighted candle in his hand, I assisted
him to make his thanksgiving. Very reverently he repeated
each aspiration after me, and just as I was saying * Jesus,
Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and soul and my
life he passed peacefully away. No one, not even the
physician, had the least notion that death was imminent.
Surely, our Mother takes care of her own !"

St. Edmond's, Philadelphia.

" My first experience in nursing was with two of our own
Sisters, who had very severe attacks of influenza. They
were recovering, when a very urgent call for help came to
the Convent, and we hastened on our errand of mercy.

" We found six victims in this one home. A young man
was making feeble efforts to attend to his sister and aunt ;
his father had just left a sick bed to care for a child of two
years and a baby, who was going to the Children's Hospital.
The doctor ordered both brother and father to bed, as both
were running a very high temperature. It was three o'clock
in the afternoon when we arrived at this home, so we 'phoned
for permission to remain with the poor sufferers during the
night. One of the patients was delirious; another, a victim
of double pneumonia. About midnight the double pneu-
monia patient became very delirious, and wanted to leave
her bed. However, whenever Sister or myself approached
her, she grew quiet; even in her delirium she realized the
presence of the Sisters, and she kept speaking of St. Paul's

64 American Catholic Historical Society

and St. Thomas's, where she had attended school. The
Sisters had been admonished by the doctor of the approach-
ing crisis in the pneumonia case. " About midnight," the
Sister writes, " we noted a change. We feared to alarm
the other members of the family. Suddenly, unexpectedly,
the delirium ceased; she grew calm; the temperature grad-
ually lowered to normal; and, in a few moments, she fell
into a sleep as peaceful as an infant's. ,

" For four nights and days following we watched continu-
ually in this home an average of nineteen hours each day,
returning to our Convent about 1 1 a. m. each morning, and
resting there until 3 p. m., when we felt sufficiently refreshed
to renew our vigil about 4 p. m. for the next night. About
the fifth night, however, we decided to watch alternately
two hours at a time, one resting while the other kept vigil.
This " rest " consisted in sitting in the parlor, a little back
from the open window, which afforded a moving panorama
of doctors' machines,, ambulances from St. Agnes' Hos-
pital, patrols, and funerals. One of the funerals was just
a casket placed across the front of an autoniobile.

" One night a neighbor came pleading for us to go to a
nearby house, where the mother and five children had
been stricken and no one, not even near relatives, would
go to them. Neither Sister nor I could go then, as our
patients were all still in a serious condition; but we prom-
ised to have a Sister there from the Convent at daybreak.
This poor woman was overjoyed when the Sister came in
the morning, and she told us later on that she had hesitated
long before asking, as she was not of our faith.

" During all this period of anxiety we were unable to leave
our patients to assist at even a private Mass in our Convent
Chapel, or to receive Holy Communion, except on Sunday.
However, we certainly made some good meditations during
these long nights. We remained in this place fourteen
nights in all ; but the labor and anxiety were rendered easier

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 65

by the simple confidence, gratitude, and humble kindness of
these good people. All finally recovered."

St. Francis Xavier's, Philadelphia.

The Sisters at St. Francis Xavier's suffered very severely
from the ravages of the epidemic. Twice they endured the
shock of death, which claimed two of the Sisters during the
month of October, though one only, Sister Florentinus, was
a victim of influenza. Ten others of the community were
very ill with influenza. Five of the Sisters, however, went
out to the homes in the parish, nursed the sick and assisted
the afflicted when they could be spared by their sick asso-
ciates in the Convent.

St. Gabriel's, Philadelphia.

In St. Gabriel's parish the disease was very prevalent, so
that the Sisters went from house to house, seeking out those
who were in direst need, not remaining permanently unless
there was no one to care for an urgent case, but offering
assistance where it was most needed in the form of nour-
ishment, cleaning and arranging the sick-room, bathing the
sufferers and administering medicines as prescribed. The
following is an example of a typical day :

" First we found a lady who was very low. She was
alone and could not get a doctor. We stopped a doctor
whom we knew in the neighborhood, who could not come
then, but called a little later.

" On our way to the next house we met a woman, who
pleaded with us to go with her. On entering the home
which she pointed out to us we found a poor man whom
one of us had taught as a boy in school. His was the sad-
dest case we met. He was helpless with the disease. His
two darling little children were playing on the floor, and he >
had just received word that his wife had died at St. Agnes'
Hospital. We remained with him till the body was brought

66 American Catholic Historical Society

home, assisting him all we could, then we left him alone
with his babies and the body of their dead mother. Each
time we visited him we found him more resigned to the loss
of his girl-wife, and most faithful in having the Holy Sac-
rifice of the Mass offered for her soul."

These Sisters next visited a home where the father and
mother were both in bed, and their little girl, about three
years old, playing outside all unconscious of sorrow or
care. They judged it necessary to have the mother re-
moved to a hospital, but every application met with the
same reply : " No room ". Finally they decided to remain
with the sufferers all night, but about nine o'clock the am-
bulance came for them, and both were removed to an emer-
gency hospital. " We kept the little girl at the Convent
until the mother recovered."

Just outside the parish limits the Sisters one day came
upon a very pathetic scene. Six little children stood weep-
ing outside a house waiting to bid farewell to their dear
father, whose body was being prepared for burial, though
no one could be found to dig the grave. After offering
some little consolation, the Sisters passed on to another
house. Returning a few hours later, they met the six chil-
dren again, and the eldest, a girl of twelve, between sobs
explained that as soon as their father's body had been re-
moved, the mother was found dead upstairs. The Sisters
had these children taken to the Catholic Home Bureau until
relatives could be found to care for them.

A very sad case was that of a whole family stricken —
mother, seven children, and no nurse but the father, who
also was seriously ill. When the Sisters entered this home
the mother had just died, leaving a baby ten days old.
The father, a picture of distress, cared not whether he lived
or died. A kind neighbor, whose own girl was lying dead,
relieved the Sisters of the care of the infant. After a week
all were convalescing, except the baby, which later died.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Iniiuenza 67

Holy Name, Philadelphia.

" On Friday afternoon, October tenth, our Pastor re-
quested the services of two Sisters for a family in the
parish where there was great distress. We found the house
on a very narrow back street, and the poor people were
truly to be pitied and greatly in need of help.

In the parlor were the dead bodies of the married son
and his wife who had died a few days previously. A daugh-
ter was dying in an adjoining room, alone, while her mother
was seriously ill upstairs. The only attendant they had was
the father, who was too sick to realize what he was doing.

As both mother and daughter were in extreme danger,
we sent for the priest to administer the Last Sacraments;
in the interval, we made all possible preparations, bathed
the patients, and attempted to give the rooms at least an ap-
pearance of respectability.

Both mother and daughter received the Sacraments, but
there was no improvement in the condition of either. Late
that night a woman from the neighborhood came and
offered to take our places while we returned to the convent
for a few hours' rest.

When we returned to our patients early next morning we
found that the poor father, who had been acting as nurse
until 4 p. m. the day before, had been anointed about mid-
night, and he was in a very precarious condition. We made
arrangements for the burial of the son and his wife that
day, ministering all the while to the three whom we thought
to be dying. Next day my Sister companion had contracted
the disease, and as all the other Sisters were out on cases, I
felt it my duty to remain alone at this poor home. By this
time the mother was sinking rapidly, the doctor gave her
only a few hours to live; we continued to pray until her
soul finally passed away. The father and daughter grad-
ually recovered, and they have since shown evidence of
better dispositions by regular attendance to their religious

68 American Catholic Historical Society

duties, though previous to the epidemic the neighbors did
not even know that they were Catholics.

I^te one Saturday afternoon a call came from a poor
colored family in the parish. The Sisters found a mother
and two boys seriously ill, and starving. They said that
they had had no nourishment of any sort for over a week.
The Sisters at first saw no other sign of life around the
liouse, but soon the weak voice of another victim called
them upstairs. The first requisite in this house was to pre-
pare some liquid diet, for they could take no solid food.
Then the house had to be thoroughly cleaned, the patients
had to have their faces washed, the beds had to be arranged
and the rooms aired. The Sisters continued to care for
these colored people for over a week, when they had im-
proved sufficiently to help themselves.

The next care confided to these Sisters was a doctor's
family, and, needless to say, the circumstances were quite
different. Here, too, all were afflicted, even the house-
maids, and no nurses could be had. After a few days, how-
'.ever, all were convalescent.

In another home, the mother was dying, the daughter
seriously ill, and the father's body had been lying in the
parlor for a week, awaiting burial. In many homes in this
district the Sisters not only nursed the sick, but cooked,
cleaned the house, and washed as well. In addition, they
visited many homes to comfort those bereaved, and to assist
the dying with prayers.

Later, assistance was requested at the Catholic Home
Bureau and these same two Sisters helped there with the
babies till school reopened.

Incarnation, Olney, Philadelphia,

Very valuable service was rendered to the Sisters here by
a good gentleman, a non-Catholic, who came every morning
to take the Sisters to the different homes where their atten-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 69

tion was requested. Another gentleman, also a non-Cath-
olic, came faithfully each evening at 6: 15 p. m. to take the
Sisters who were serving there, to the Emergency Hospital
at Holmesburg, where they were due at 7 p. m., and every
morning when they came off duty at 7 a. m. he was waiting
to take them back to their convent. He was never one
minute late either morning or evening, though these trips
must have entailed great personal sacrifice, since his busi-
ness hours usually were from nine to four.

The first necessity in nearly every home in this district
seemed to be fresh air and God's own sunlight, though in
many cases this was not obtained by the Sisters without
much coaxing, and even some altercation. In one home
where mother and father were desperately ill, two little
ones were found trying to build a fire to get something to
eat, and warm themselves. Here, after three days a nurse
was obtained.

On answering another urgent request to attend one of
our little school-girls, we found, to our dismay, not a little
girl, but an old lady of the same name, who stood mumbling
something utterly unintelligible to us. Finally we made
out : " Yes, them are ... up here . . . putty much sick."'
Instead of the little girl whom we were seeking we discov-
ered the little girl's sister-in-law, a non-Catholic, and her
brother, a fallen-away Catholic. Here, too, was much to be
done, and after sending a messenger for another Sister to
find the little girl, we remained to nurse these victims.
After following the doctor's directions for several days, we
had both on the safe way to recovery.

When two of our Sisters went to a house in Olney,.
where assistance had been required, the colored servant who
opened the door left them in dismay and fled to the mis-
tress of the house. While waiting patiently on the doorstep
for admission the Sisters overheard the following dialogue :

" Missi, who am dem ladies downstairs ?" " Why, they
are the Sisters from the Convent, Delia." To which the

70 American Catholic Historical Society

reply came in utmost scorn: "Sisters! Dem aint no Sis-
ters down dere. Dem is sure nuff German spies, and dis
nigger leaves dis house de minit dey comes in." After
many explanations from the good lady (a non-Catholic),
who was too ill to leave her bed, Delia was finally persuaded
to grant admission to the suspected " spies ". After a
short hour, she admitted grudgingly : " Well, I jedge dey
is 'Nited States citizens, all right."

From another colored servant in the same district came
the surprised remark : " Who'd ever think dem der Sistahs
could wash and clean and do sech cooking ?"

In one home the only one free from the dread disease
was an infant of nine months, whom the Sisters found,
seated on the floor, regaling himself with oranges and candy
galore. Surely an unusual diet for a baby. Mother, father,
and four little ones in this home were victims of influenza.
One little boy, running a temperature of 103 ^/lo, cried
loudly, "Bad lady! bad lady!" whenever the Sisters at-
tempted to approach him. After a good alcohol bath, and
some nourishing broth, however, his melody changed to
" Dood lady! dood lady!". This he continued incessantly
in a sort of semi-delirium until he fell into a soothing sleep.
All these patients, non-Catholics, recovered, and evinced
sincere gratitude to the Sisters.

The horror in which some of the sufferers held fresh air
and sunlight may be imagined by the fact that in one home
the Sisters had to tell the patients (who, fortunately, in this
instance were Catholics) that the Archbishop had issued
orders that windows be opened wide. One poor woman
here had on four coats and three sweaters! She was well
covered in bed, besides. The Sisters discovered, moreover,
that she was physically well, but suffered from a very vivid
imagination. She was sure of this, however, and it was
proving quite as serious as the reality. After getting her
to take a walk in the fresh air, the Sisters cleaned and ar-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 71

ranged the house, which had been sadly neglected, and pre-
pared a meal for the poor husband, who had had nothing
substantial for several days. This case was later turned
over to a district nurse.

In many cases the Sisters found that patients were suffer-
ing more from starvation and neglect than from influenza.

Most Blessed Sacrament, Philadelphia.

One family to which we were called early during the
epidemic was in great distress. The mother of four little
boys, a victim of the dread disease, was suffering intensely
from an abscess in the ear. Her husband had remained at
home until his pecuniary circumstances became such that
return to work was imperative. As he was a non-Catholic,
he came, as a last desperate resource, to the Sisters for help.

During the first few days we found plenty to do, on
account of the neglected condition of the house, but nothing
seemed to relieve the suffering of the poor mother. One
day we begged her to pin a Sacred Heart badge on her
pillow; she consented. That night the abscess broke. Re-
lief was then instantaneous. From that time her entire
physical condition improved, and each day when we ar-
ranged her hair and dressed the sore ear she begged us to
replace the badge. Both she and the little ones became
quite attached to the Sisters.

In the same neighborhood we discovered an anxious
mother, heart-broken, keeping watch beside her only son,
who had become delirious shortly after having received the
Last Sacraments. He had been an exemplary youth, and
now he was pleading earnestly with his mother to allow him
to become a nun, and begging her to tell him how long it
would take. We seemed to calm him, so we remained until
late that night, whispering ejaculations whenever we dis-
cerned some ray of consciousness. When we returned the
next day we found that he had died a very peaceful death.

72 American Catlwlic Historical Society

We were called out late one evening to the home of a
Polish family in the parish, where a mother, father, and
five little children were tossing with fever, and crying for
food; all were seriously ill, and the neighbors were afraid
to enter or offer any assistance. They could speak only a
little English, and when we entered the mother sobbed
loudly, " Oh, Sisters dear, I knew God would not forget
us! Look, my dear little baby!". Going over to the child,
I saw it was dead.

The condition of the father was most serious; so, after
pinning Sacred Heart badges on all, we sent a messenger
for the priest to administer the Last Sacraments. He made
three visits to that poor home during the night, fearing tliat
the man would die before the morning. Placing all our
trust in the Sacred Heart, we watched and ministered to
these poor sufferers continually during that long night, and
our confidence was rewarded. When the non-Catholic doc-
tor arrived next day, he was pleased with the improvement
of all ; but the man said to him, " You no cure me ; my
Church make me better ".

We spent two weeks with this poor, neglected family,
and then, when all were able to be out of bed, we found a
new field for mercy among the sufferers in the mining dis-
tricts around Pottsville.

One day a poor man came to the convent in his auto,
begging for assistance. Though he had wealth at his com-
mand, he was unable to get a nurse for his dying wife and
child, an infant of a few months. Here the Sisters re-
mained during the first night; afterwards one stayed all
day, and another Sister came during the night. After about
a week's care, both patients were pronounced out of dan-
ger, and these Sisters also were called to relief work in
Pottsville.

J:' Work of the Sisters dttring Epidemic of Influenza 73

St. Paul's, Philadelphia.

Most of the Sisters of this Mission (thirty-four in all)
Avere assigned to duty in the hospitals at Holmesburg and at
Phoenixville ; about ten, however, devoted their services to
the poor Italians in the immediate vicinity of St. Paul's.
Many of these sufferers were unable to speak English.

One Sister says : " Our first experience was with a fam-
ily of Italians. On entering the house, we found a bed all
pulled apart, the bed linens scattered over the floor, and
everything in the room awry. After asking many questions,
we gleaned from the broken English of their replies that
the mother had been buried just that morning. Eight chil-
dren, ranking in age from 18 months to 13 years, remained.
They were in the adjoining room, which contained little
else than four beds, two children in each, all seemingly
stricken with influenza. Shortly after the father returned
from the mother's funeral in desperation; he told us that
for no amount of money could he secure a nurse for the
little ones. Not understanding English very well, he was
incredulous when we finally made him understand we would
care for his children."

First, these good Sisters made up the bed in the room
from which the mother had been taken, then they scrubbed
the floor — a sanitary measure very much needed. Then the
children were washed, given clean clothing and transferred
to the larger bed, while the other room was thoroughly
cleaned. The two younger children meanwhile shared the
cradle. When they were given nourishment, the little lad
of two years smiled brightly, and after many questions it
was discovered that he had no other ailment than " cutting
teeth ". Of course he was immediately removed from the
others. The little lad had been hungry only and the nour-
ishment revived him.

After about a week's care and nursing all these little ones
had recovered, and the father was so impressed that he re-

74 Atmrican Catholic Historical Society

turned to the Sacraments which he had neglected for years.
He said he had absolutely forgotten God and His Church,
but when he saw the Sisters enter his home to do gratui-
tously what others would not do for money, he began to
wonder why they did so, and his meditation on this led him
back to God.

In another home in the Italian district a father was car-
ing for a sick wife. In bed with her was an infant, a child
about a year older lay in a crib nearby, and in the adjoining
room three other little ones occupied one bed — all six vic-
tims of influenza. Here, too, the Sisters found ample scope
for their charity, also evidence of sincere gratitude. The
poor foreigners, who could hardly speak a word of English,
expressed their sense of sincere thankfulness in the livelier
language of Italian gesticulation.

At the request of a business man of the same district, the
Sisters visited a house where another father was tending to
five motherless children. Here the greatest poverty was
evident, but through the generosity of their kind benefactor,
the Sisters were able to procure a physician, also to purchase
such food, fuel and clothing as were necessary. These little
ones were entrusted entirely to the care of the Sisters while
their father was away at work, and later, when they were
convalescing, it was amusing to find them sending over to
the Convent (without their father's knowledge) to tell the
Sisters that they were hungry and " Please send over some-
thing to eat !". The baby boy had an extremely high fever
for some days, and when it began to abate the incredulous
father knelt all of one day by the bedside, fearing that
death was imminent. All in this house recovered.

" In another tenement we found a mother and three sick
children. The mother, though not ill herself, was abso-
lutely helpless in the question of caring for the suffering
little ones. We squeezed an orange which we found lying
on one of the beds, and gave the juice to the two little girls.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 75

When the mother saw how the children brightened by this
little refreshment she asked, through an interpreter whom
we had brought with us, what she should do for the baby
who was just gasping for breath. We feared that even a
teaspoonful of liquid would choke the little one, so we in-
structed the poor woman how to accustom the child's throat
gradually to it by first moistening its lips. The look of
gratitude we received in return from that poor woman who
could not speak one word of English more than repaid us
for any little inconvenience we experienced during that
day. After several visits to this poor home, the mother
began to understand how to care for the little victims, and
soon all were on the way to recovery."

In one place a delirious patient was found gazing intently
irom the window. Sister asked, in order to rouse him,
" Are you looking for someone or something?" " Oh, no,"
came the reply, " I'm just watching the sunset." It was
then between 8 and 9 p. m.

Another poor laborer thought he was in his shop, and
insisted that Sister turn the horses' heads the other way.
Evidently he mistook her for his assistant, for when, dis-
regarding his injunction, she continued arranging his room,
he called out, " That spoils you, George ".

Sacred Heart, Philadelphia.

In this district the Sisters have been subjected to all sorts
of indignities for many years. They could scarcely leave the
convent without encountering Jews, who openly insulted
them; even the very children spat at them, threw mud at
them, or (what was much more deplorable) called aloud
such epithets as " Jesus-girls ".

From one of the Sisters we learn that the work of the
Sisters in the homes of these poor unbelieving Jews, during
the epidemic, has been productive of a marked change of
sentiment and outward demeanor. The Sisters unselfishly

76 Amerkan Catholic Historical Seciety

visited these poor people, and voluntarily nursed those who
required assistance. At first the Jews were incredulous;
later they received the Sisters in wondering gratitude. As
a result, those people who formerly despised openly the habit
of the Religious, now as openly manifest towards it marks
of reverence and respect.

A pathetic incident, the result of a mixed marriage,
comes from the same district. A father and two children,
Catholics, a mother and her sister, non-Catholics and very
strongly prejudiced against everything Catholic, were all
victims of the influenza, with no one to care for them. The
Sisters took charge of this home. Every evening the Sis-
ters at the request of the father would recite the Rosary
and Litany of Our Blessed Mother for the sick and dying.
One evening after the prayers had been said, the little girl
called, Daddy, won't you say an extra prayer for your
own little girl? She is so sick." The mother looked up
sadly, and asked, " Katharine dear, why don't you ask
mother to pray for you, too ?" To which the little one re-
plied, " But, mother, you don't pray like daddy and brother
and me ". The mother surely had food for thought, and
later on she asked the Sisters for Catholic books to read.
Since her recovery she goes to Mass every Sunday, and the
husband is hopeful that soon she will enter the true fold.
Her sister, too, though not convinced, has been very much
softened by her association with the Sisters, and now is
careful to show them every outward courtesy and respect.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Philadelphia.

Very few of the private homes in this district required
the attention of the Sisters, as most of the victims of influ-
enza were removed to the emergency hospitals on South
Broad Street. Several calls, however, were answered.

In one poor home the Sisters found a mother and six
small children, Italians, afflicted with the dread disease. The

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 77

father, who had been attending them for nine days, alone,
seemed helpless in his grief, for the doctor had just told
him that one of the children, a dear little girl, had only an
hour to live.

Here the Sisters bathed the mother and children, cleaned
their rooms, prepared nourishing broths, and administered
the medicines as the doctor had directed. All during the
night they kept watch in this poor home. The next day,
finding the patients somewhat improved, the Sisters returned
to their convent for a brief rest. For several days, during
which the patients all, except the little girl, gradually im-
proved, the Sisters occupied their " leisure moments " in
cleaning the house and doing a very large wash that had
been accumulating for several weeks.

Transfiguration, Philadelphia.

One of the Sisters writes : " On Monday, October 14th,
at the request of Father Fitzmaurice of Frankford, we
visited a Jew on Pine Street. His wife was most respect-
ful, and told us in all confidence that she had sent for the
Sisters because she was sure ' such good ladies would make
her husband better '. The poor man was beyond the reach
of earthly assistance, however, and he died soon after our
arrival."

During the early days of the epidemic a man called at the
convent to ask for one of the Sisters to go to a young girl
who was dying. The gentleman was not of our faith, but
he had been sent by the priest to tell us that the girl was
alone among non-Catholics. The poor child did not realize
that death was near; so after preparing her for the Sacra-
ments, we sent for the priest, and got all in readiness for
the visit of the Divine Guest. She did not linger long after
receiving the Sacraments. We continued praying with her
until the end, and the non-Catholics with whom she lived
did all in their power to make us feel comfortable, and to

78 American Catholic Historical Society

render the last moments of their young friend peaceful.
Her death seemed to have made a very deep impression on
all who were present at the scene, to them so unusual.

St. Veronica's, Philadelphia.

Late one Sunday evening two of the Sisters were hur-
ried to a house on Second Street where a sick mother, a
dying father and four very sick children were in sad need
of care. The mother, though in a serious condition, was
making an effort to attend to the others. They had called
on the Red Cross for assistance, in vain.

The most urgent need was to prepare both husband and
wife for the Last Sacraments, and to send a messenger for
the priest, who came immediately. " All night we waited
on them and tried to make them as comfortable as possible
in the midst of their utter destitution. When morning
dawned, realizing their serious condition, we at once deter-
mined to have them admitted to one of the hospitals, as
their poor home was in such a condition as to make it abso-
lutely impossible for us to give them proper care, and the
neighborhood was one of the worst in the city. Every
Emergency to which we applied was crowded, so we con-
tinued our work with them unremittingly until Wednesday
night at 10 o'clock (72 hours at least) when a patrol came
and removed the father and children to the Emergency on
Arch Street; later it returned to take the mother to the
Municipal Hospital, where, after a few days' suflfering, she
died a peaceful, happy death. Father and babies later re-
covered."

Another Sister from St. Veronica's tells of an encounter
with a young man of the parish, then in one of the emer-
gency hospitals. He had not been to the Sacraments for
seven years, and begged as a great favor that Sister bring
him a priest, promising to grant her any favor she would
ask in return. The priest soon reconciled this strayed

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Infiuema 79

sheep, and also his wife, who was in the women's ward
downstairs. This man has not forgotten his promise to the
Sister, who begged as her reward that he attend Mass and
the Sacraments regularly. Sister has seen this man attend-
ing Holy Mass regularly ever since, often even on days not
of obligation.

St. Katharine's, Wayne,

The first call of the Sisters at St. Katharine's was to re-
lieve conditions in the Italian colony. These poor people
were terrified by the symptoms which they noted in their
sick; and the district nurse (a non-Catholic), in her appeal
to the Sisters, told them in despair that there was no rc-
^Kwise to treatment, no control of the spreading malady,
due partly to the fright of the foreigners, partly to their
misunderstanding of the orders and directions of doctors
and nurses.

The Sisters began their work in this foreign district Oc-
tober 10. They first made a tour of inspection to find out
who was sick and what was needed. Their report of con-
ditions says " worse than we anticipated ". In one home
the Sisters found eight victims in bed, and a little girl eight
years old the only nurse, housekeeper and cook. Luckily
she had had little to do in the line of cooking, as the patients
were, as they thought, carrying out the doctor's orders and
had taken absolutely no nourishment for several days. They
were starving, and as symptoms were not serious, the Sis-
ters countermanded the doctor's orders, real or imaginary,
ordered nourishment, prepared it themselves in a strangely
un-American kitchen, and soon had the victims free of one
peril at least.

The Sisters gave strict orders for cleanliness and the tak-
ing of medicines as the doctors prescribed. There was a
general " clean up ", sweeping, dusting, scrubbing, and a
fair promise of normal sanitary conditions. Bed linens

8o American Catholic Historical Society

were brought out and put to use which apparently had been
serving as heirlooms in the family or ornaments for state
occasions. In one home three different doctors had left
prescriptions. Following the Sisters' orders literally, the
three drugs were given to the victims, one dose of each
every third hour, with apparently no harmful results.

In many homes the people, even the children, were in bed
wearing their working clothes and street apparel. They
had not " the proper garments the Sister reports, and
generally no bed linens. One man was in bed wearing an
overcoat and a fur cap down over his ears, with all avail-
able bed covers piled on. He was armored against the
germ, but had not succeeded in shutting out the disease. In
some cases there was no food in the house. The Sisters
sent out for it, then prepared it and fed the people until
they were able to do for themselves.

" We were welcomed," reports the Sister, " in every
house, with only one exception. In this one home we in-
quired at the door if they had any sick. The father in-
formed us that they had five in bed upstairs, but they did
not need our help, as their patrons (the man was a pervert
from the Faith) had sent a nurse, and they were properly
cared for." Sadly the Sister adds, " two of these children
died at the end of the week ". Out of the thirty-eight cases
attended by the Sisters, there were only two deaths.

Every morning as the Sisters appeared on the Avenue
they were met by troops of kiddies eager for the honor of a
visit from The Sisters, and each clan ready to guide them
to its own particular tenement.

After ten days of this nursing, cleaning and cooking, the
colony was getting back to normal life and native diet, and
the Sisters were free to give more time and help to the
Emergency Hospitals at Bryn Mawr, Paoli, and Wayne,
where six Sisters served until October 31. In Bryn Mawr
they worked in conjunction with the Sisters of Mercy from

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 8 1

Bryn Mawr and Rosemont, taking charge of the afternoon
day shift. In Paoli they had the day shift. In Wayne the
night shift, 7 p. m. to 7 a. m.

SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH— WORK IN PRIVATE HOMES.

St. Anne's.

Eighteen of the Sisters from St. Anne's served in Emer-
gency Hospitals, nine in No. i, Holmesburg, October loth
to 25th, and nine in No. 3, Philopatrian, October loth to
29th. Besides the work in the hospitals, the Sisters were
called by the priests of the parish to visit people stricken
in their homes.

In one home the Sisters found the mother dead and a
daughter very ill lying beside her. Downstairs, the son lay
on a couch ; he, too was ill, but had to get out of bed when
his mother was taken sick.

At another home the mother of a family was in a serious
condition. These poor people had not even a mattress.
The father said he could not get one, so the Sisters ordered
one for him, also a change of linen. The Sisters cleaned the
house and washed the children, and visited them every day,
thus allowing the father to go to work.

In another home the Sisters cared for two motherless
children. The father took care of them at night, but he
had to attend to his work during the day. An aunt who
had charge of the home would not go near the children's
room, so fearful was she of the disease. In another home
a mother and two children had been lying fully clothed for
four days with no one to go near them.

St. Carthage's.

The calls here came from priests, doctors, and from the
afflicted ones themselves. In many cases whole families
were afflicted with the dread disease, and the Sisters had to
do cleaning, washing, cooking, as well as nursing.

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In one family, non-Catholics, the husband lay dead in
one room, the wife very low in the next; their relatives
were afraid to visit them, and when finally they did come,
after the dead body had been removed, they left their outer
garments on the porch, so fearful were they of contagion.

In another house, the mother was dying. The people
were strangers in the city, and the father seemed to be in
despair. Two small children had had no attention for a
week before the Sisters took charge. The mother died;
and it was some days before a coffin could be procured for
the burial. A kind neighbor took care of the children for
the poor afflicted father until they could be put in a Cath-
olic home.

One morning a non-Catholic woman came to the convent
at 3 : 30 a. m. in an automobile, hoping thus to secure the
Sisters before they started on their daily rounds. The
same day the Sisters were summoned to a Jewish family,
where the son was very delirious. However, after going
there and finding there was abundant help, the Sisters went
to a house where a young girl had died of pneumonia. On
the day of her burial the father, mother and three boys
were stricken down. In this home were also a small child
and a baby fourteen months old. No washing had been
done; nothing cleaned after the girl's death. The Sisters
took charge of the house imtil the mother was able to get
up; then a girl was hired for the house work and the Sis-
ters were relieved.

Eight of the Sisters of this convent did district nursing
from house to house.

St. Charles'.

In visiting the homes of this parish, caring for the sick,
cleaning, washing and cooking, the Sisters found quite as
much of actual need and want among the well-to-do as in
the poorest dwellings of the poor.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of InUu^nza 83

In one sad case the Sisters found a young woman who
had strapped her husband to the bed. He was violently
delirious. She herself was soon to become a mother. The
husband was removed to the hospital, and the Sisters found
a nurse. The child was born, but the mother did not live
to see its face. She begged the Sisters to remain with her
to the last, saying: I want you, not the nurse ".

The Sisters tell of a strange experience here. They were
called to a boarding house, where the husband was a Cath-
olic, the wife a non-Catholic, though she had trained their
son in our religion. The priest came to prepare the son for
death; the mother then asked to be baptized. She died a
Catholic. Later on the sisters of this woman came to get
the body for burial. They asked for keys and " went
through" the trunks. A few days later the Sisters returned
to see how things were going in the boarding house. They
were met by a storm of invectives, and charged with rob-
bery. The incident of the sisters of the dead woman, the
keys and the trunk was recalled. This explained the loss.
They had figuratively gone through the trunks, and liter-
ally left nothing of value. The man humbly and sincerely
apologized for his misplaced suspicion of the Sisters.

In another place the Sisters found a young man, a Span-
iard, married to a negress. He could not speak a word of
English. The Sisters taugh;, r -uake aspirations in
Latin. He asked to have these written downi to aid his
memory.

St. C'olumba's.

A case is reported "in the parish of Our Lady of Me i
In this home a man a'ld wife had been ill for two weeks,
depending solely on ' i^'im from the neighbors. They had
been left sometime ■ < entire days with no care or help
from without, no (.ne to go near them. The woman seemed
in a dying con^'!* too weak even to bear much bodily

84 American Catholic Historical Society

attention. After three days (of the Sisters' care and nurs-
ing) she became normal in appearance, and finally re-
covered.

In another home " the mother had died of the disease,
leaving five small children ". These all and the father were
ill when the Sisters went there. The Sisters took full
charge of the house and family until a proper home was
secured for the children.

In another " well-to-do family " the Sisters found five
children, all lying ill, in different parts of the house, and
the mother in bed absolutely unconscious. The Sisters re-
mained there all day; then they (the patients) were re-
moved to St. Columba's Emergency, where all recovered.

In another home a father and mother and child had lain
ill for three days with no one to attend to their wants. The
father was lying fully clothed, having been too weak to un-
dress. The Sisters remained here until the patients were
able to do for themselves.

Epiphany.

The Sisters were called to attend a sick lady at her home.
They found that she had two daughters quite able to attend
to her; but the father had forbidden them to go near their
mother, fearing contagion. The Sisters remained here one
day, then gwe their uare -> :i more urgent case, a poor
widow and her child, who had no one to help them. This
poor mother died.

The next case was one of direst poverty. " Finding the
door open," one of the Sisters \vr;t?s, "we entered. On
the table was a loaf of bread and i t louse eating it. The
place seemed to be headquarters for r -aches and ants and
creeping vermin." Going to the secot, floor the Sisters
found, in one room, a bed, no other ff^^^'ture. In the bed
were two sick boys, one six, the other t< ars old. In the
next room was the mother, another boy c.-.d a baby girl, all

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Iniiuenza 85

seriously ill. The mother said that they had had nothing
to eat since she, had gone to bed the day before. The Sis-
ters procured food, clean bed linens and all that was needed.
Then they sent for a doctor and a priest. This poor house
was soon in better order.

Holy Angels.

In the first home visited by the Sisters were a mother and
five children, all very ill. The father and an old grand-
mother, almost blind, were the only ones to care for the
sick and the work of the house.

At the next house, to which the Sisters were called by a
Presbyterian minister, was a Polish family. Here were a
mother and four children ranging from six to eight years,
all in bed wearing what clothing they had. There was no
coal, no bed linen, and only one bed cover. Three of the
children had never been baptized. The father had just been
taken to the Holmesburg Emergency, where he died the
next day. He had had violent hemorrhages, and the condi-
tion of the house cannot be described. The non-Catholic
neighbors were eager to help the Sisters here. The Sisters
cleaned the house, washed the clothes, and succeeded in
making the family comfortable. The children were bap-
tized.

In answer to a call from Abington Hospital two of the
Sisters went there. The first duty of one of the Sisters was
to baptize a dying infant. One of the nurses present asked
a Sister to teach her how to baptize, as it would come into
her work. At another time one of the doctors told the
Sisters that a baby had just been born, and asked them to
baptize it. The Sister explained that it should not be done,
except in danger of death. The physician then asked for a
fuller explanation, and seemed grateful for the information.

There was a little girl about ten dying. The Sister asked
her : " Do you believe in God ?". She answered : " No ".

86 American Catholic Historical Society

Sister spoke to her for some time, and finally the child said :
" Do you believe that ?". When the Sister answered in the
affirmative, the child replied : " Then I believe it too ".
The Sister gave her conditional baptism.

Holy Cross, Mt. Airy.

At this convent the Sisters prepared meals for sixty
seminarians during twenty-four days. These students from
St. Charles' Seminary had voluteered to dig graves for the
dead who were lying unburied in Holy Sepulchre Ceme-
tery. In consequence of this work of providing for the
students, announcement was made to the people that they
should not call upon the Sisters to care for the sick in the
homes of the parish. The Sisters did, however, attend
some private cases. One case is reported in which a well-
known business man requested the Sisters' care for the
family of an employee. These people were not Catholics.
When the Sisters went to the house a very small boy came
to the door, and opening it just far enough to make himself
heard, said warningly : " All in this house are sick ".
" Well," replied the Sisters, " we've come to take care of
them." They found the mother and four small boys very
ill, and the house in disorder. The Sisters arranged the
room and cleaned the house, and cared for the patients.
One of the little boys asked why the Sisters wore that style
of dress. The reason of the uniform was explained to him.
" Then," he said, " you're Catholics, aren't you? Catholics
are best, anyhow." All in this home recovered.

In another home, a Jewish family, the mother of two
small children was very ill. She recognized the Sisters,
and told them that she wanted their prayers. Later the
husband succeeded in getting a professional nurse, but the
lady begged the Sisters not to leave her. She died the
next day.

Another case was one of extreme poverty. The Sisters

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 87

f ound a sick mother seated by the stove holding a boy of
thirteen in her arms. In the same room were two other
sick children. There was no food in the house to prepare,
and no way to prepare it. The Sisters went back to the
Convent and got all that was needed. The Sisters went to
this house every day until all were well. Later a letter
came from this gentle poor family expressing sincere grati-
tude for the labor and tender care of the Sisters.

Immaculate Conception.

Many cases and most pathetic are reported from this
parish. One in which the whole family was ill, mother,
father and children. One child in bed with its father died,
and there was no place to put the body, which had to be
kept a week to await burial.

October 12 two Sisters went with the priest to a family,
all ill. These people were well-to-do; but now, no better
off than the most abject poor. They could get no nurse.
The Sisters remained with them until 9 p. m., when a woman
was found to care for them. All here recovered.

In the next home the Sisters found a father and three
little girls, ranging in age from nine to thirteen, all ill.
They had been deserted by the mother. The father, a Rus-
sian, could understand no English. Two of the children
had attended the Sisters' school since September. One of
them died, making her first Holy Communion on her death-
bed. The Sisters now recall the devout interest of this
little girl in all that was taught her, as the sincere piety and
innocence of a little saint. The Sisters, with the priest,
took the child's body to the undertaker's for burial.

In another home the mother was dangerously ill, and the
father seemed dazed, with three little children in the kit-
chen. There was not even a basin in the house. The father
went out and borrowed one. The Sisters then washed the
mother, and cared for the children, one of them a baby.

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Next door they found conditions even worse. The mother
and a boy had been ill for some days with absolutely no
attendance. The Sisters made these patients comfortable,
and cleaned the place. Then, going downstairs, they found
three more children shivering with cold, and literally clothed
only in a few rags. The mother here was soon to become
a mother again. The Sisters phoned for an ambulance.
The policemen came and removed the mother to a hospital.
The Sisters then washed and dressed the children, and,
after great difficulties, they got the father's consent to have
them sent to the Children's Home Bureau.

In one family of father, mother and seven children, six
of the children were sick. The youngest, an infant only a
few days old. The mother, a non-Catholic, had had no care
since the birth of the child. The infant seemed to be hardly
human ; its arms and legs a mass of raw flesh. One Sister
took charge of the kitchen, the other of the bedroom. There
were no clean linens for the beds. The supply at the con-
vent was exhausted by previous demands; but the mother
of one of the Sisters came to the rescue and furnished
everything necessary to make the place fit for human habi-
tation. All in this home recovered except one child eighteen
months old. The mother is now being instructed, and will
be received into the Church.

A non-Catholic family living very near the Sisters' school
had been ill for a week without attendance. The Sisters
heard of this, and went to the house. They found a young
man and his wife and a child nine months old. The woman
was huddled up in a chair, the man lying on a couch. He
had been vomiting blood. There was no heat, and no food
in the house. The husband was later removed to the
Holmesburg Emergency, where he died after a few days
under the care of the Sisters there. The wife was taken to
the Howard Hospital. The Sisters were taking care of the
child, and wondering what to do with it, when a man en-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 89

tered and said grufBy, "That's my son-in-law's baby; I'll
take it ". That ended the case — a limit to human grate-
fulness.

St. Joseph's.

From old St. Joseph's comes a touching description of a
division of the Community into the " Contemplatives
Sisters in charge of the house and those too old to go out,
who adored before the Blessed Sacrament, and " Active
members ", who went to seek Our Lord in the alley-ways.
On one occasion the Sister cook, left alone at home, went
into the street and got some children to come to the Chapel
and kneel before the Blessed Sacrament while she prepared
food for her associates of the "Active life ".

St. Leo's, Tacony.

The first case was in a family where the father and four
children were sick with influenza. The poor mother had
them all in one room, so as to be able better to attend to
them. She had not lain down from Friday of one week
until Tuesday of the following week. The neighbors, even
the woman's own sister, refused to assist her in nursing.
They would leave on the doorstep anything she called for
out of the window. The Sisters took charge of the patients
while the mother retired for necessary rest. They cleaned
the house, washed the soiled clothes, and left the bed linen
in a disinfectant for two- days.

In the next home, father, mother and six children were
sick, attended only by the old grandmother, who was so
lame that she had to put her crutch aside and crawl upstairs
on her hands and knees. The Sisters spent three days there.
The mother was taken to the Emergency Hospital. She
had been violently delirious, but became quite calm after the
Sisters took charge. One of the Sisters contracted the dis-
ease in this home and was very ill for two weeks.

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In one family both parents and two children were very
sick. It was nearly a day before their sad plight was known.
Then a neighbor 'phoned to the Archbishop to ask that
some one be sent there. When the Sisters entered they
found a baby boy three and a half years old trying to give
a drink to the sick. The Sisters remained with this family
day and night for a week.

Another case was that of a Protestant young woman who
had lain unattended from Sunday to Saturday. The con-
ditions existing can hardly be described. There was no
other woman in the house, the father was a cripple who
could not climb the stairs, and appeared to be under the in-
fluence of drugs. The neighbors called for assistance.
Two Sisters were sent. They washed the patient and put
the bed into a more airy room. As the family could afford
to pay for a nurse, the Sisters urged the father to get one.
They remained, however, after the nurse's arrival in order
to see that the girl was made comfortable. Nearly all the
Sisters who attended this case contracted the disease or
became prostrate from exhaustion.

St. Michael's.

The first case to which the Sisters were called was pa-
thetic, yet, in part, amusing. A poor little girl of fourteen
was trying to keep house, to take care of her sick mother
and at the same time attend to six smaller children. The
father, either crazed or drunk, had gone to get a death
certificate for the sick wife. He returned with the certifi-
cate and imagined that his little girl was the undertaker
come to bury the wife, who was not dead. The Sisters
telephoned for an ambulance, but this legal stickler refused
to go without a doctor's certificate. This was finally ob-
tained, and the man removed to the Philadelphia Hospital.
After a week he returned, " in his senses ", the Sisters say.
He has taken the pledgge and received the Sacraments, and

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 9 1

is coming every week regularly to prove to the Sisters that
he is faithful to his promises.

The Sisters found one family, father, mother and three
children, all very ill. There was no food, practically no
clothing, no bedding, none of the comforts of home. The
wife was not a Catholic, and the Sisters hesitatingly offered
to get what was needed. To their surprise she gratefully
accepted, and even asked to have a badge of the Sacred
Heart for herself and the others. All in this family re-
covered.

In the next home the father had just died, after two
years' illness, previous to the influenza. The mother and
five children were sick in bed. A girl of eighteen was doing
her best as housekeeper and nurse. All here recovered.

In another case the Sisters found a father and four chil-
dren lying on the floor on an old mattress. They had no
means to pay a doctor. The Sisters went to one nearby, a
non-Catholic. He came to the house at their request, and
gave his services free of charge.

Hearing of a case of a family (Protestants) where all
were ill, the Sisters called on the lady next door, also a
Protestant, asking her assistance to get admission into the
neighboring house. She received them at first very coldly
and told them not to try to enter, as the man of the house
was bitterly prejudiced. " But," she added, " if I get sick,
force your way in here." Suddenly she broke down, began
to cry, and said : " Sisters, pray for a lost sister ". The
Sisters tried to console her, and are now keeping their
promise of prayer, hopeful for the woman's conversion.

Mother of Consolation, Chestnut Hill.

In one home the Sisters found six little children sick and
very dirty. The father, a Protestant, had gotten out of
bed, after two week's illness, to try to earn some money for
medicines. There was not a scrap of food in the house,

92 American Catholic Historical Society

nor any coal. The Sisters procured medicine and food.
But when they wished to arrange for the priest's coming
(the oldest girl was seriously ill), they could not find a
single article of furniture to serve as a table, or a fitting
place for the Blessed Sacrament.

In the next place visited a little boy of eight informed the
Sisters that his mamma and the children were sick. The
Sisters found the mother quite ill, and peeping out from the
blankets in a large bed they saw six little black curly heads,
and in a crib at the foot of the bed a little baby. There
was no coal, no food, no medicines, and no money to buy
them. A kind, good man in the parish, at the Sisters' re-
quest, sent a quantity of coal, and the Sisters got medicine
and food to insure the health and comfort of the mother
and her eight little ones.

Calling at another house, where the Sisters had been told
there was distress, they were met at the door by an old lady,
too old to attend to household duties. She refused to let
the Sisters come in. Knowing, however, that sad condi-
tions existed there, as two of the family had been taken to
the hospital, and the man and wife were still in the house
very ill, the Sisters returned to this house the next day.
They were met at the door by the ungracious greeting : " I
guess you might as well be working here as any place else."
They went in, cleaned the house and prepared food. The
old lady met them later, and told them that she had the
" wash ready for them ". The Sisters did the washing,
and, as a consequence, returned to the Convent to go to bed
themselves for a four weeks' struggle with influenza.

" Conditions," reports one of the Sisters, " in some places
were indescribable." Often there were no beds for the
poor afflicted victims, no bed clothing, no linens, nothing but
filth and rags. In one of these places the Sisters made a
tour of inspection to the second floor. They found a
" chubby four-year-old boy running quite a high tempera-

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 93

ture ". They sent at once for a lady doctor, who had been
very attentive to the poor of the parish. She said the child
had pneumonia. The Sisters now sent for the mother, who
was out. They could find neither a cup or a spoon in the
house. Two of the Sisters tried to arrange some sort of a
bed for the poor little lad and his sister, also sick; another
went in search of the kitchen, and found three other little
ones, who needed care. The kitchen was a mass of filth,
caused partly by a stopped waste-pipe in the sink. There
was nothing to do but put on her rubbers and sweep the
accimiulated dirt into the yard. Later the father and
mother came home( ?). The Sisters told the mother plainly
what were her duties to her children and the place which
they ought to call home. The woman seems to have taken
the Sisters' words to heart, " for when we returned the
next day we found that she had purchased pots and pans
and dishes, had cleaned the whole house, and gotten a real
bed for the poor little patients Drink bears the blame
for conditions in this family. But whose is the responsi-
bility? We're all capable of human decency and Christian
restraint.

St. Philip's.

On the first day after permission was given the Sisters to
care for the sick (October lo) six Sisters at St. Philip's
visited thirty families. Money had been given to the Sisters
by the Rector and members of the parish to be used for the
relief of the sick. From the business men of this section
came broths, oranges, lemons, alcohol, whiskey, buttermilk,
junket and gelatine to be used where the Sisters found
need. Many families depended entirely upon what was
thus provided for them from the convent.

The authorities had decided to open an Emergency Hos-
pital in Lithuanian Hall, and the Sisters were asked to take
charge, but the plan was not realized, the hospital was not

94 American Catholic Historical Society

opened. The work of the Sisters in this convent was there-
fore wholly devoted to the sick in their homes. Almost
everywhere on the streets the Sisters met with some token
of respect to prove that their mission of mercy and charity
was recognized. " Even the ornamental props at saloon
comers," it is said, " honored them with a salute."

At one house the Sisters knocked and pounded in vain.
A serious case had been reported there. They persevered,
and finally the wife, a mere child in appearance, came, rub-
bing her eyes. She had fallen asleep, worn out by long
watching. The man was cold as ice ", and near death.
He died that evening, after repeating the Act of Contrition
with the Sisters. His last words were : Thank God, the
Sisters were here ".

In another house the Sisters found an Irish girl married
to a Chilean. Nursing had palled on the man, who had
called in a party of his compatriots. They were making
good cheer in the room where the poor wife lay apparently
dying. She begged the Sisters to have the priest. The
Sisters sent for the priest, and requested the man to dismiss
his companions. The Sisters had been warned that it would
be dangerous to go to this house. They braved the danger ;
and as a consequence the poor Irish girl-wife received the
Sacraments, and later recovered. Possibly the fact may
move the man from the southern hemisphere to a better
sense of human propriety.

In one house of a Lutheran family the Sisters found the
bodies of four persons, who had died of the epidemic, wait-
ing for burial. They were sent to an upper room in this
house, where they found a Catholic young man very sick.
This young man had nursed the whole family, giving them
his clothing, even his bed linens, before he himself became
a victim. The recovery of this young man is attributed,
both by himself and the doctor in charge, to the care of the
Sisters.

Work of the Sisters dimng Epidemic of Influenza 95

Our Lady of Victory,
From Our Lady of Victory the Sisters report a case
worthy of note. In answer to a 'phone call, the Sisters
went to an apartment house, where they were met by a lady,
the wife of the sick man who had sent for them. She told
them that she was not a Catholic and sent them to her hus-
band's room. They found a young man surrounded by
every evidence of wealth and refinement, but very ill. For
three days they attended this case, receiving the visits of
half a dozen doctors, sent by his parents to bring relief.
He yearned to see his parents and his brothers, but fear of
the dread disease kept them away. The last " great special-
ist " who came pronounced the case " hopeless ". An hour
after the man died. The wife remained in another room
while the Sisters prayed with the dying man. But she
begged the Sisters to remain with her that night. They
promised to return early the next morning. When they
returned they found her very ill, a victim of influenza,
though she had not entered the room where her dead hus-
band now lay. Not one of the relatives of either side came
to see the sick or the dying in this case. Dread of the dis-
ease seems to have deadened all sense of affection. Only
the priest, who came to bless the dead man's body, the Sis-
ters and the doctors in attendance crossed the threshold of
this apartment. The woman became dangerously ill, but
the Sisters took charge and nursed her back to health.
When the Sisters were leaving, she said : " Sisters, when
you came here I did not receive you very graciously, be-
cause I believed the tales I have so often heard of Catholic
nuns. Now I shall surely make known what you Catholic
nuns have done for me when both relatives and friends
stood back for fear."

St. Vincent's, Germantown.
Twelve families in this parish were practically dependent
upon the Sisters for the care of the sick, the care of the

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house and meals. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul sup-
plied necessary food and nourishment. Beside these, about
twenty families were visited and aided by the Sisters.

In one home the mother and children were sick. Two
children in bed with the mother, a third lying on a couch.
They had not called a physician, fearing that they might be
sent to a hospital. The Sisters feared that one child would
die, but all finally recovered.

In one case the Sisters visited a non-Catholic family.
They expressed surprise at the kindness of the Sisters for
those not of our faith. The Sisters gave these people
medals of Our Blessed Mother, and taught them how to
pray. They appeared to be very grateful, and said that
the house seemed to be a different home since the Sisters
came.

In another house, where five were afflicted, three died.

On one occasion the Sisters called at a wrong house.
The woman who opened the door seeming terrified, said,
" There's no one sick here and hurriedly shut the door
in the Sisters' face.

In one house the Sisters found a young wife with a baby
ten days old ill with the disease. The husband lay dead in
another room.

Another case is reported, under the Sisters' care, in which
a young woman aged twenty-two died, and, while her body
was being prepared for burial, her sister, four years her
senior, died. The brothers of these two sisters had to dig
their graves.

Visitation.

The Sisters in this convent gave aid to about forty fami-
lies at the call of the priests and the people themselves. A
diet kitchen was fitted up in the school, where ladies of the
parish prepared food and nourishment for the sick. The
Sisters also prepared food in private homes, and taught

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 97

those who were well how to prepare nourishment for the
sick. The school children took an active part in carrying
food to the homes of the afflicted, handing it in at the doors
and windows as directed.

At one house, where distress had been reported, the
Sisters secured entrance with difficulty. When at last the
kitchen door was opened, they were met by a stench so
offensive that they had to retreat to recover breath. The
man of the house told them that his wife, who was also
sick, had gone to the house of her daughter, some squares
away, to care for her. On investigating, the Sisters found
that the offensive smell came from the dead body of another
daughter, which had been lying in the house for a week, the
people being too poor to get an undertaker. The Sisters
reported this case to the Board of Health. The body was '
removed the next day.

One night a woman reported to the Sisters that a family
near by (Methodists), though surrounded by respectable
neighbors of their own persuasion, was in dire distress. No
one would help them from dread of contagion. The Sisters
went to this home and gave the necessary care to a stricken
mother and child. About ten o'clock that night the hus-
band returned home. He was tearfully grateful for what
the Sisters had done in care of his wife and child. He
himself had had to go to his work, leaving his sick ones
alone and unattended. " You," he said to the Sisters,
" have come to me unselfishly, when I was deserted by my
own."

In another home there was no one to admit the Sisters.
They entered the house and found the mother on a cot sur-
rounded by four little ones. The father, who had received
the Last Sacraments, was in the next room with another
sick child. The Sisters took charge of the house, bathed
and attended the patients, and cared for them until all re-
covered.

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Another home is reported, in which both parents and
three children were sick, and a Httle girl of ten acting as
house-mother and nurse for all. Here the house had, first
of all, to be cleaned. The Sisters did the washing, prepared
the food, nursed the sick. The Sister who writes this report
adds touchingly : "I thank God that I have been favored
to do this little good; my companion (in this case) took the
disease and died a very holy death. She has received her
crown; / am still waiting to be called."

St. Mary's Academy, Logan.

Two of the Sisters in this convent assisted families in
distress in the private homes of this neighborhood. Ten
Sisters went to the Jewish Hospital following an urgent
appeal for help, which was made through the medium of the
Most Reverend Archbishop. In this hospital the work of
the Sisters extended to every branch of service. They
washed dishes, arranged and carried trays, helped in the
laundry and cared for the sick. Someone seems to have
been apprehensive about the menial work of the Sisters,
and it was reported to the Superior. Her answer was quite
naturally in substance : " The Sisters were called, not to
choose their work, but to help. No work is menial that is
not done for a mean motive. The Sisters' motive is the love
of God, and the love and relief of suffering brother men."

Chester — Linwood — St. Michael's.

Two Sisters were sent to the City Hospital in response to
an urgent call for help. The remaining Sisters did district
nursing and cared for families in absolute need. " It was
not always poverty," writes one of the Sisters, " that left
the people destitute during the epidemic. It was the fear
and dread of the scourge on the part of kindred and neigh-
bors, who ordinarily would have cared for friends."

" You have come in answer to our prayers," was the

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 99

greeting of one family in dire need. Another poor man
told the Sisters that he had prayed God all night for some
one to come to give him a drink of water.

The Sisters were met one day by a gentleman in an auto-
mobile, who begged them to go with him to a little village
about two miles away. Two Sisters finally went with him.
They found conditions very serious. Even the poor babies
had no milk. The Sisters set to work caring for the sick,
procuring what was needed through the benefactor of the
community (the employer of the people of the village),
and in God's goodness no one in this little village died,
though many were in a critical stage of the disease when the
Sisters reached there.

Linwood. — ^Here the Sisters waited on the sick in private
homes. The district nurses called for the Sisters when they
found obstinate patients. In one case a girl in this " Model
Village " absolutely refused to obey matron or nurse,
though she was in danger of pneumonia. They sent for a
Sister, who soon had the girl's promise to do all that was
required of her. She kept this promise faithfully.

In one home a young mother, with three small children,
was dangerously ill. The sisters of the sick woman came,
but went away, saying they saw no danger. The Sisters
then took charge of the patient, the house and the children.
The mother died. It was in this house that Sister M.
Charles took the disease while caring for the children. She
lingered nine days in great agony, then died, resigned, a
most beautiful death.

CONSHOHOCKEN St. MaTTHEW's.

Four Sisters went to St. Patrick's Emergency Hospital,
Philadelphia; four were invited by the Director of the
Board of Health to assist at the Baptist Emergency, Con-
shohocken. The ladies in charge of the Emergency also
requested the aid of the Sisters — all (that is, the director
and the ladies) non-Catholics.

lOO American Catholic Historical Society

One Sunday morning a foreigner came to the convent in
a gig to ask that a Sister ride out with him to a family in
distress. Two Sisters went with him. They found two
little children trying to start a fire. The father, with pneu-
monia, was in bed, also a boy, both fully dressed. The
mother and the baby, eighteen months old, were sick in the
next room. The Sisters spent four days here going back
and forth, and despite the unfavorable conditions all the
patients recovered.

Among the sad cases which the Sisters met was the fol-
lowing. As they were returning to the convent, a Polish
woman asked them to go to another family in distress. As
the Sisters entered the front door, they found crape and
candelabra, evidences of a funeral. The mother in this
home and her child had been buried the day before. Going
to the second floor, they found a man and a boy in very
serious condition, the boy being delirious. All the windows
were shut tight, and scattered in various places about the
room were glasses of sour milk and lemonade ; the remains
of cake, crackers and other food were on the floor, the
window-sills, and even in the bed. The boy had had hemor-
rhages, and the bed was in a frightful condition. As a first
step, they had the beds moved to such a position that they
could open the window. Then they 'phoned to the doctor's
wife. A trained nurse came to their assistance and the
patients were made comfortable by the removal of the soiled
linen and the giving of medicine. The Sisters cleaned the
room and gave nourishment. They then sent for the am-
bulance; both patients were taken to the Emergency Hos-
pital, where they died shortly after.

Heckscherville, Pa. — St. Kyran's.

On October nth, from the Headquarters of the Red
Cross in Pottsville came a hurry call for the Sisters to help
in the Minersville Emergency Hospital. Two Sisters went

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza loi

to the hospital and remained all night. This hospital was
established in two tents pitched on a vacant lot. The Sisters
were stationed in the tent for women and children. That
night they prepared seven for death, three of whom died
before morning. All the patients had the disease in its most
virulent form. There had been but one nurse in the tent;
and as many of the patients were violently delirious, the
Sisters were very much needed.

The Sisters took charge of afflicted families in the parish.
In some homes every member of the family was sick. As
they entered one house the father cried out : " Oh, Sisters,
I have prayed to the Sacred Heart to send some one to give
me a drink of water ". The Sisters remained all day in
that home, caring for the sick, making broths, washing and
changing the linens. At night the grandfather took charge.
The father died.

In some places there was only one bed in the house. The
Sisters procured cots and separated the patients.

One happy effect of the work of the priests and Sisters
here has been to break down the antagonism that had ex-
isted between the Church and the public school authorities,

Jenkintown — ^Immaculate Conception.

The Sisters here helped in the Abington Hospital, and
also did district nursing in the parish. At the hospital they
baptized a colored man, who died shortly after. They also
prepared two white men for the Sacraments. One Sister
who nursed several colored women, who died, reports that
she sent them to God as clean as she could, both physically
and spiritually. One Italian objected strenuously to having
his face washed. His reason was given : " I don't want to
be washed. I was washed yesterday ". The nurses here
told the Sisters that the patient eagerly watched for their
coming every morning.

The assistance of the Sisters was not confined to the

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wards. They worked also in the laundry and in the diet
kitchen. The Sisters received a letter of grateful acknowl-
edgment from the hospital authorities after the peril of the
epidemic had passed and they had returned to school work.

The Sisters of St. Joseph have sixty-nine mission houses,
including those in the diocese of Harrisburg, Trenton and
Baltimore.

According to a summary compiled from the records of
the Sisterhood, in which the number of Sisters engaged in
relief work during the epidemic is given, and the places
where they served, there were one hundred and sixty-seven
Sisters of St. Joseph detailed for work in general and emer-
gency hospitals; sixty Sisters served in other institutions
(not counting those in ordinary charge of such institutions) ;
one hundred and eighty-six nursing, and caring for the
afflicted in private homes.

There was one point of peculiar trial to the members of
those communities which were visited by death, which de-
serves notice and claims our sympathy. It was the mental
suffering and silent resignation which the " death notice "
brought to every mission house and its individual members
when a Sister was called to her reward. There is a kinship
of spirit, of mind and affection, next only to the closer ties
of family and blood existing between the members of com-
munities of men and women who have been associated in
the training of the Novitiate, in the mutual restraint and
self-discipline of following the same rules of life and daily
observance. In the ordinary course of a Community's life,
the death notice is often not unexpected, usually not a
shock of surprise. But conditions during those days and
weeks of strain added much to the natural pain of separa-
tion in the death of a loved associate in life and religion.
Now, as the " notice " comes in of another dear Sister's

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 103

death, perhaps by 'phone and not unlooked-for, there was
an added pain in the thought which came to many individual
associates of life and work in religion. The thought that
that dear familiar form, the mortal frame of one who had
been, perhaps, not only a Sister in religion, but a sympa-
thetic friend, a confidante, one who knew how to lighten
burdens and smooth the little troubles of life, may now not
have even the poor tribute of the Church's ritual in the
Chapel at the Mother House — from the mission house to the
grave, with no consolation but the trustful prayer and the
thought of her good life and her work for the Master.
During the epidemic, while the Mother House at West
Chester was under quarantine, nine bodies of departed Sis-
ters were taken from their missions to the cemetery at West
Chester for burial.

DECEASED SISTERS.

Franciscans.

Sister Mary Clarina died October 9, 1918, at St. Eliza-
beth's School, Philadelphia, where she had taught since her
profession in 191 5. She was formerly Miss Rose Kelly, of
Wilmington, Del.

Sister Mary Saturnia died October 10, 19 18, at the Pro-
vincial House, 1 810 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia. She
was stricken with the influenza while teaching at the Cath-
olic Girls' High School, Philadelphia, where she had been
stationed since 191 3. She was known in the world as Miss
Margaret McGaugh of Wilmington, Del. She made her
profession in October, 1912, and was sent to teach a class of
boys in St. Peter Claver's School (colored), Baltimore, Md.

Sister Mary Euphrasia was known in the world as Miss
Mary Paulics of Philadelphia. She received the Franciscan
habit in 1909, made her profession two years later, and was
sent to Holy Family School, Shenandoah, Pa., to take

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charge of the domestic department there. In 19 17 she was
transferred to St. Mauritius School, Ashland, Pa. During
the epidemic she contracted the influenza while doing relief
work in the parish, and died October 26, 1918.

Sister Mary Carina, formerly Miss Mary Mott of New
Haven, Conn., did splendid work among influenza sufferers
in St. Joseph's Parish, Lancaster, Pa., in which school she
had been teaching since 1910. She contracted the disease
and died November 6, 1918. Sister Carina made her pror-
fession in August, 1909, and her first mission was St. Eliza-
beth School, Philadelphia. From St. Elizabeth's she was
transferred to Lancaster.

Sister Mary Philip was stationed at Glen Riddle, where
she assisted in caring for the aged in St. Elizabeth Home.
During the epidemic she took an active part in nursing the
influenza victims in the surrounding villages, especially in
the homes of the poor. She was known in the world as
Miss Cecilia McGinley of Philadelphia. She entered the
religious life in 191 5, and died January 2, 1919.

Sisters of the Holy Child.

Mother Maria Aloysia. Eva St. John Annette, daughter
of James Annette and Isabel Magee, born June 24, 1881.
She entered the Novitiate January, 1900; made her first
vows September, 1902; and taught at the Academy of the
Holy Child, Sharon Hill, Pa., St. Michael's, Chester, Pa.,
St. Leonard's, St. James', Assumption, Philadelphia, Acad-
emy of the Holy Child, Cheyenne, Wyoming, St. Edward's
School, Philadelphia, again at St. James', where she was at
the time of her death, October 15, 19 18.

Sisters of the Immaculate Heart.

Sister M. Verena. She was Agnes McGuckin, daughter
of Michael McGuckin and Catharine Murray, and was born
in Chester, Pa., March 17, 1885. She entered the Novitiate

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Iniluenza 105

at Villa Maria, West Chester, Pa., March 25, 1905. Re-
ceived the Holy Habit August 2, 1905 ; made her profession
August 15, 1907, Sister labored at the missions at St.
Veronica's, Philadelphia, St. John Baptist's, Manayunk, St.
Gabriel's, Philadelphia. She died at St. Gabriel's a victim
of influenza, October 17, 1918.

Sister M, Inviolata. She was Mary Campbell, daughter
of Patrick Campbell and Catherine Henry, of Philadelphia,
and was born in Philadelphia, September i, 1889. She en-
tered the Novitiate at Villa Maria, West Chester, Pa., Feb-
ruary 2, 1907; received the Holy Habit August 15, 1907;
made her profession August 2, 1909. Sister labored zeal-
ously at the missions at Our Lady's, Mount Carmel, Pa.,
St. Cecilia's, Coatesville, Pa., St. Agatha's, Philadelphia, Pa.
When the call came for volunteers to nurse the epidemic
victims at the Philadelphia Hospital, Sister offered her ser-
vices generously. She contracted the influenza, which at
first assumed a very light form. Later pneumonia devel-
oped, and with the greatest resignation to the Divine Will,
Sister Inviolata gave her soul to God, October 26, 191 8, at
our Convent at St. Agatha's, Philadelphia.

Sister M. Clarus. She was Ellen O'Conner, daughter of
James N. O'Conner and Ellen Brogan, and was bom at
Dushore, Pa., July 27, 1885. She entered the Novitiate at
Villa Maria, West Chester, Pa., August 15, 1907; received
the Holy Habit December 31, 1907; made her profession
December 28, 1909. Sister labored at the missions at Lan-
caster, Pa., and at Germantown, Pa. She was the first be-
loved member of the community to be taken by the dread
disease. With beautiful resignation she breathed forth her
pure soul to her Divine Master October 2, 1918, at Ger-
mantown, Pa.

Sister M. Florentinus. She was Mary Hilly, daughter of
James Hilly and Anna M. Burke, and was bom in Phila-
delphia, August 20, 1889. She entered the Novitiate at

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Villa Maria, West Chester, Pa., September 8, 191 o; re-
ceived the Holy Habit December 29, 1910; made her pro-
fession December 30, 1912. Sister labored faithfully at the
missions at St. Francis Xavier's, Philadelphia, and St. Aga-
tha's, Philadelphia, again at St. Francis Xavier's, Philadel-
phia, where she died in peace October 9, 19 18.

Sister M. Wendelin. She was Alice Becker, daughter of
Wendelin Becker and Mary Ackermann, and was bom May
14, 1888. She entered the Novitiate at Villa Maria, West
Chester, Pa., September 8, 1910; received the Holy Habit
December 29, 1910; made her profession December 30,
191 2. Sister labored at the missions at St. Anthony's, Phila-
delphia, St. Francis de Sales, Philadelphia, St. Thomas
Aquinas', Philadelphia. She died most peacefully at our
mission of St. Thomas Aquinas', October 8, 1918.

Sister Rita Maria. She was Mary E. Ratto, daughter of
Joseph Ratto and ]\Iargaret Donovan, and was bom in
Philadelphia, August 9, 1892. She entered the Novitiate
at Villa Maria, West Chester, Pa., September 8, 1912; re-
ceived the Holy Habit December 30, 19 12; made her first
vows December 30, 1914. She labored on the missions at
St. Agnes', West Chester, Pa., St. Agatha's, Philadelphia,
St. Ignatius', Centralia, Pa., St. Joseph's, Frackville, Pa.,
Most Blessed Sacrament, Philadelphia, St. John Baptist's
High School, Manayunk. She contracted the influenza in
school, probably from some of her pupils who were afflicted
with the disease, and on the 12th of October, 19 18, she died
most peacefully at the convent of St. John Baptist, Mana-
yunk.

Sister Louise Marie. She was Mary Gertrude Zipf,
daughter of Karl Zipf and Caroline Kiefer, and was bom
at Norristown, Pa., December 27, 1893. She entered our
Convent at Villa Maria, West Chester, Pa., September 8,
1913; received the Holy Habit December 30, 1913; made
her first vows December 29, 191 5. She labored faithfully

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 107

on the missions at St. Anthony's, Philadelphia, St. Francis
de Sales', Philadelphia, Gesu, Philadelphia. Sister was one
of the first victims of the epidemic, and though all available
medical skill was called into requisition, she died peacefully
at the Convent of the Gesu, October 8, 1918.

Sister M. Joachim. She was Mary Duffy, and born at
Philadelphia, February 15, 1897. She entered the Novitiate
March 25, 1917; received the Holy Habit August 16, 1917.
Though Sister was stationed on our Mission at St. Joseph's,
Frackville, Pa., for only one month, her eager generosity
and deep religious spirit endeared her to the hearts of all
with whom she came in contact; these virtues, too, have
left an indelible impress upon the members of the Novitiate,
who sincerely mourn the loss of one of their most beloved
and revered members. Sister died most peacefully at the
Convent of St. Joseph's, Frackville, Pa., October 10, 19 18.

Miss Nora Coggar. She was born in Ireland, September
3, 1895. She entered the Convent at Villa Maria, West
Chester, Pa., July 2, 1918. She died October 17, 1918.

Sisters of St. Joseph.

Sister Irma Aloysia, formerly Ella G. Vessels. She was
bom in St. Michael's Parish in June, 1899. At the time of
her death she was engaged in teaching in the School of Our
Mother of Sorrows ; she did not attend any sick in person,
but it was thought she contracted the disease from some of
the children, as no Sister in the Convent had it. Sister was
taken to the Misericordia Hospital, where she was visited by
the Rt. Rev. Bishop McCort. After making her Holy
Vows, she went to God on September 29th, St. Michael's
Day, 191 8, aged nineteen.

Sister M. Rose Catharine. She was formerly Catharine
Kelly and was bom in 1893. She entered the Novitiate in
1913, made her vows in 1915, and taught in St. Columba's
Parochial School for four years. When the hospital at St.

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Coliimba's was opened she took her share in the work, and
contracted the disease while nursing. She died October
i8, 1918.

Sister Francis Xavier, formerly Catharine McGarvey,
was bom in Philadelphia in 1888. She entered the Novitiate
in 1 910 and was later sent to teach at the Visitation B. V.
M. School, Philadelphia, where she died, October 21, 19 18,
aged thirty years.

Sister Mary Florentine, formerly Mary Craven. She
entered the Novitiate August 16, 1883; made her vows
August 17, 1885. Her first mission was at St. Philip's,
Philadelphia. From St. Philip's she was sent to St. Mary's
Convent, Lonaconing, Md., then to St. Ann's Widows'
Asylum, Philadelphia, where she had charge of the sick.
For the last fifteen years of her life she was infirmarian at
St. Charles' Seminary, Overbrook, where she died a victim
of influenza, October 22, 191 8. " Patient, kind, and a faith-
ful religious, beloved by all who knew her."

Sister Mary Cyprian, formerly Katharine A. C. Marley,
aged 25 years. She entered the Novitiate in 1916; taught
at the School of the Most Precious Blood, and died of the
influenza October 23, 1918. She made her vows on her
death-bed at Mt. St. Joseph's, Chestnut Hill, Pa.

Sister M. Francis Bernard, formerly Marie Cavanaugh;
aged 25 years. She entered the Novitiate January, 1914;
died October 29, 191 8, at St. Clair, Pa.

Sister Mary Catharine, formerly Margaret McBride, aged
29 years. Entered the Novitiate, September, 1909; taught
in the schools of Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Francis of
Assisi, Holy Souls, Most Precious Blood ; and for the last
five years of her life, in the English Department of the
Catholic Girls' High School, Philadelphia. She died Octo-
ber 25, 1918, at Mt. St. Joseph's Convent, Chestnut Hill, Pa.

Sister Mary Charles Borromeo, formerly Marie F. Doyle,
aged 26 years. Graduate of Business College. Entered the

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 109

Novitiate ; taught in St. Michael's, St. Leo's, Tacony, Ard-
more and Chester, and died in Chester, Pa, of influenza,
October 25, 1918.

Letter of the Archbishop Authorizing the Opening of Parish Build-
ings, Halls and Schools for the Use of the Sick, also the
Nursing and Relief Work of Uncloistered Sisters.

Archbishop's Residence
1723 Race St.
Phila.

October 10, 191 8.
During the Influenza Epidemic, permission is given to
utiHze church edifices, particularly halls and parochial
schools, as hospitals. Permission is also granted for un-
cloistered Sisters to serve as nurses.

If need be, the aid of the St. Vincent de Paul Societies
should be utilized in each parish. The members of these
Societies can help to nurse the patients and also open kit-
chens to provide soup and other foods for the sick. These
foods could be brought to the doors of the suffering by
messengers, particularly by the school-boys.

It is left to each pastor to devise the best means to com-
bat the epidemic in his own parish.

Priests and nuns are advised to obtain and use masks
whilst attendng those attacked by influenza.

Very affectionately yours,

D. J. Dougherty,

Ahp. of Phila.

Letters of Acknowledgment to the Sisters.

A Grateful Community
tenders its thanks to
Sister Herman
for the noble, unselfish and faithful services rendered to

no American Catholic Historical Society

the helpless victims of the dire epidemic which visited South
Philadelphia during the month of October in the year nine-
teen hundred and eighteen.

In attestation of which the Officers of the Emergency
Relief Committee of South Philadelphia have at-
tached their signatures hereto.

Samuel J. Buck
Alfred Hymann
Abraham Berkowitz
John J. Rome
Samuel E. Kratzox.

The Board of Officers
of

The Jewish Hospital Association of Philadelphia
wishes to express its sincere appreciation
and thanks to
Sister Alonzo ^

for devoted unselfish service and valuable assistance given
in various departments of the Hospital during the Influ-
enza Epidemic of October, 191 8.

T Arthur A. Fleisher, President.

[seal]

Alfred Mayer, Secretary.

^ The names of the sisters who served have been written in the
engraved copies of certificates, and are chosen here at random, with no
thought of personal preference. All are alike strangers to the compiler.

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 1 1 1

APPENDIX

In connection with the closing of churches during the
epidemic the following points seem to deserve notice and
record :

First — The action of Pastors and Rectors of churches
was in accordance with the orders of civil authorities — the
State Board of Health, city and local departments of health
and public safety — as directed by the letter of his Grace,
the Most Rev. Archbishop, which follows :

Archbishop's House
1723 Race St.
Philadelphia

, October 4th, 1918.

Rev. Dear Sir:

We hereby direct your attention to the order of the Board
of Health, issued on Thursday, October 3d, which prohibits
the assemblage of all persons in the churches and schools of
Philadelphia until further notice.

Yours faithfully in Xto.,

D. J, Dougherty,
Archbishop of Philadelphia.

Second — In many, probably all, the city churches this
order was given during the afternoon and evening of Thurs-
day, October 3, when usually there are many Confessions
in our churches in view of Communions for the " First
Friday ". The notice to close was generally brought to the
church or the rectory by the police then and there on duty.
Some of the churches were closed, as reported to the com-
piler, at 6 o'clock p. m., others at 8 o'clock. Permission
was granted in some at least of the churches to allow the
people to come to the church on Friday morning, October 4,
for Holy Communion. This permission was granted when

112 American Catholic Historical Society

requested by 'phone from departments of health or public
safety.

Third — While formally and legally closed, the doors of
churches were not locked, and attendance at private Masses
during the week and on Sundays was not forbidden. De-
vout and prayerful visits in acknowledgment of the Real
Presence, in the churches of the business section of the city
were apparently quite as regular and frequent as in normal
times.

Fourth — Some of the city churches tried tO' meet the
difficulty by Mass in the open air on Sunday, October 6
and 13. There was no prohibition or public protest against
this, so far as the compiler has been able to find; but the
practice did not meet with general approval, and, after the
second Sunday was discontinued.

Fifth — City churches were closed October 6, 13, 20.
The permission to open churches for Sunday, October 27,
was followed by unusually large crowds for Confessions
on Saturday evening, October 26. The list of the dead in
the announcements at Masses on October 27 seemed almost
interminable; in some churches more than one hundred
names. Outside the city the date for reopening " the
churches varied according to different views taken by local
boards, and different interpretations given to the action of
the State Board of Health in " lifting the ban ". Some
country churches followed the order of city churches and
assumed the right to open October 27; others in the same
townships, and under the same local boards, did not reopen
until November third.

It would be very desirable indeed to have for our
Records, as a supplement to the work of the Sisters, a
brief, but authentic notice of the priests of the city and dio-
cese who died, victims of the influenza during the epidemic.
But full and accurate information is now (August, 1919)
practically beyond our reach. Out of a list of sixteen names

Work of the Sisters during Epidemic of Influenza 1 1 3

submitted to the present compiler he has found several
points on which other printed accounts do not agree. He is
unwilling therefore to stand sponsor for the accuracy of the
list appended.

Rev. Daniel Kennedy died at Ashland, Pa., Oct. lo, 1918,
age 29.

Rev. Peter Cattori, of Don Bosco Institute, died in St.
Joseph's Hospital, Reading, Oct. 10, 19 18.

Rev. Henry J. Herrbrecht died at St. Ludwig's, Phila-
delphia, Oct. 13, 19 1 8, age 36.

Rev. Joseph A. Carter, CM., D.D., died at St. Vincent's
Seminary, Germantown, Pa., Oct. 6, 19 18, age 26.

Rev. Joseph C. Tierney, CM., died in St. Joseph's Hos-
pital, Philadelphia, Sept. 27, 1918.

Rev. Joseph J. Murphy, D.D., died at St. Charles Semi-
nary, Overbrook, Pa., Oct. 15, 1918, age 38.

Rev. Edward L. Gallagher died at Lost Creek, Pa., Oct.
17, 1918.

Rev. E. A. Hughes, O.P., died in St. Mary's Hospital,
Philadelphia, Oct. 18, 1918.

Rev. John J. Dugan died at Girardville, Pa., St. Joseph's
Rectory, Oct. 27, 191 8.

Rev. John F. Pateracki died at McAdoo, Pa., Oct. 25,
1918.

Rev. James A. Campbell died at South Bethlehem, Pa.,
Nov. 26, 1918, age 28.

Rev. Jeremiah Mahon died at Rectory of St. Mary's of
the Assumption, Oct. 19, 1918, age 32.

Rev. Emil Denser, CSS.R., died in St. Mary's Hospital,
Philadelphia, Oct. 11, 1918.

Rev. John H. Carman, CM., died Oct. 14, 1918.

Rev. Joseph C Dougherty, CM., D.D., died Oct. 15,
1918.

Add to these the names of five student clerics — Rev. Wil-
liam O'Driscoll, Deacon, CM., who died at Germantown,

1 14 American Catholic Historical Society

St. Vincent's Seminary, Oct. 8, 1918; Leo Naylor, a semi-
narian, and third-year theologian at Overbrook, and the
three cleric students who died in St. Mary's Hall, Villa-
nova : Albert Starr, Oct. 15, John Dorgan, Oct. 11, Gilbert
Klunk, Oct. 10 — and we have the toll of death among the
clergy in probably about the same proportion with the losses,
and sacrifices and the spiritual gain of the Sisters.

Francis E. Tourscher.

Villanova, Pa.

September, 1919.